Much Ado About Everything and Nothing
by Avixi Lynn
Summary: Part 2 of Practical Examinations. Hannibal and Will are now in University, testing their new romantic relationship. Everyone around them seems to welcome them with open arms, but the water under the bridge soon begins to boil as straying, covetous eyes begin to close in on Will and Hannibal. University AU!
1. Intro

**Much Ado About Everything and Nothing**

**Avixi Lynn**

**Herro once again mein fronds! I hope everyone had a most relaxing start to the fall, and I hope whatever you have going on in your life-be it school or work or both, etc, you are enjoying and succeeding in effortlessly! **

**This is indeed the second part to my first story Practical Examinations. If anyone is stumbling upon this fanfic now and scratching their head, I would highly recommend you read Practical Examinations FIRST as it serves as an introduction to the characters and the major plot. Plus, a lot of what occurred in the first story WILL in fact be mentioned throughout this fanfic, so it is best to read that one (plus it's funny as all hell haha).**

**A bit of background as to where I am taking Part 2: It will be a University AU. *That was a give-away at the end of the first story anyway* This story will mainly be a test and peek into Hannibal and Will's new relationship as they battle how to manage each other's personality, balance work and school busy schedules, and not let other people's straying eyes *MASON* get the better of them and get under their skin.**

**WARNINGS: This second fanfic will be dealing with much more intense and dark content than the first. A few readers messaged me already and asked me why I did not give Hannibal's character in Practical Examinations the dark aura he normally possesses in the show. First off, I'm not Mads Mikkelsen's agent. Just kidding. *Wish I was though* I basically wanted to show how the characters move from being innocent and almost childish in a sense, to dark and very corrupt in the second story.**

**This story will also have a LOT of kinky, twisted, and perverse sexual depictions and graphic language and violence, so if that is going to be a problem, then by all means enjoy other wonderful fanfictions out there. **

**Anyway this Author Note/Introduction thingy has gone on too long, but I posted this ahead of time so everyone knows where I am going with my stories and so I do not get many of the same questions and concerns perpetually. **

**Enjoy the chapters to come, and happy reading and writing everyone!**

**Cheers,**

**Avixi**


	2. Birthday Boy

**Much Ado About Everything and Nothing**

**Avixi Lynn**

**Chapter 1**

"It looks like you shit yourself. I'm sorry. It really does, though." Will turned over in the long row of dark blue colored seats in the auditorium of the University of Maryland at the student next to him. Today was the first day of his first class of his first week at the University, and already he was running out of patience.

Will had woken up late this morning due to his alarm clock not being plugged in properly the night before (which he blamed entirely on his new roommates having a game night and insisting-no, forcing-him to join in on) instead of allowing him the peace and time to finish unpacking and setting up his belongings as he liked them in his new room.

His first class was Sociology 100-Introduction to Sociology in the main auditorium in the Social Sciences building on the Southern section of the large campus. Since it was the first week of September, Will had unfortunately run into a lot of busy students bustling about, and he wasn't even two minutes out the door of his shared housing unit when it had begun pouring heavily, each raindrop blasting him on the face as the wind howled wildly.

Many leaves had fallen off their tree branches and been carried off into the wind to land on students, getting caught in their hair, schoolbags, books; as if the wind was mocking them and purposefully making them look shabby on the first day.

Will had slipped on a big pile of leaves as he tried to ascend the large hill that the auditorium was built on, and the water combined with the leaves made for a very slippery slope, and he had tripped and slid nearly halfway down the muddy hill. The only thing he had gained from that little misadventure was a sore behind, and a very muddy stained set of jeans at that.

He had tried to sit upon his fall coat to cover the mess, but many students in the third row where he was seated had already witnessed the mess and laughed it up as if it were the most amusing thing in the world to behold.

Will ignored the immature brats sitting to his left who tried to pull at his coat and observe his dirty jeans and instead turned to a young girl sitting beside him on his right side.

The girl was roughly the same age as Will, had brown colored hair with a slight red tinge in the bright early morning light in the room, and it was tied into a neatly combed and organized ponytail. She had beautiful fair skin with a few freckles on her upper cheeks and nose, and captivating eyes. She had already purchased the course's required textbook, _Milestones in Sociology_, Third Edition.

She was hastily highlighting the first chapter of the textbook and paused when she felt Will watching her. She lifted up her head and smiled slowly at Will.

"Hey. I didn't mean to disturb you, I was just wondering why you are taking notes and reading so steadfastly." Will offered a small smile and a chuckle, hoping he'd make a good impression and hopefully a new friend.

Will normally had no problem being on his own during classes, but since he met Hannibal, he knew that the older boy had drawn him out of his shell, and encouraged him to socialize more and seek out more friends since Hannibal was going to be dedicating all his time and energy towards his medical research and work at Johns Hopkins.

The young girl closed her book and set the yellow highlighter on top of the dark brown rectangular desk gently. "I always like to get a head start, and I'm planning on completing a double major in Psychology and Criminology. I just like to stay on top of things."

Will was impressed. This young girl was as ambitious and studious as he was. Perhaps he was going to make a very good new friend and hopefully a new study buddy as well.

He nodded and smiled enthusiastically at her. "That's wonderful to hear! I'm planning on majoring in Psychology as well, may take a minor too!"

She mirrored his small. "Miriam Lass."

"Will Graham." They shook hands happily as the room soon flooded with hundreds of other students.

"Is this your first year?" Will asked.

Miriam nodded."I actually transferred out of a college in Texas. I figured University is more my thing, and I want to have a more academic career."

"I don't know what exactly I want to do yet in terms of a career, but I'm just glad to be out of high school." Will stated as he looked around the room for people he could also include in his new study group and friendship circle.

Miriam shrugged. "It's ok, Will. No one knows what they want to do even until third year sometimes. Technically I am still enrolled as a Liberal Arts major but I will change it to Psych and Criminology once all my records have been sent over to administration."

Will was about to speak when everyone else in the room simmered down and silenced their conversations.

An elderly man roughly in his early fifties had entered the room through a side door, carrying multiple books and a briefcase. He set his books on the small desk in the very front of the room and opened up his briefcase to pull out a laptop. He opened the silver laptop and connected it to the screen system at the front of the room and turned off the lights once he was set up completely.

He turned on a small microphone attached to his shirt, and ran a hand through his greying hair as he pulled out small, thin-rimmed glasses and set them on his nose.

"Good morning everyone. Welcome to Sociology 100. My name is Professor Desroches. A little bit of a background about me: I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Florida, then moved to Kentucky and attended the University there to complete a Master degree in Psychology. I finally completed my Ph.D. dissertation here at Maryland University. My research heavily weighs on interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships in contemporary society, childrearing values in the twenty-first century, as well as deviancy and its causes in the United States of America."

Will looked around the room and observed many students pulling out their laptops and books immediately, seemingly taking notes, but as he looked around the circular room, he could clearly see that many students were checking their Facebook or Twitter profiles, and he snickered to himself silently at their lack of respect and attention for the learned professor.

"How many people are planning on majoring in Sociology?" The professor's sudden question resulted in at least fifty hands being raised.

"Psychology?" More than a hundred hands went up.

The professor sighed. "Yes, Psychology is always a very popular body of knowledge among this University."

No one said a word as little clicks and taps echoed across the room as students typed on their laptop keyboards hurriedly.

"We have approximately four-hundred students in this class, and since this is an entry-level, first year course, we will only have one midterm, one final exam, and one large reflective essay paper due before the Christmas Holidays."

A few students sighed and others sifted in their seats nervously as the professor typed in his teacher I.D. and signed into the University website page for their course.

"Any further questions related to house-cleaning matters before we go over the course syllabus? No? Good."

It was nearly seven-thirty in the evening when Will finally got back to his housing unit after classes. The first day wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, and he had managed to even get Miriam's cell phone number so they could keep in touch and study together for other classes.

Will was barely inside the shared house, when a slew of balloons, confetti, and party hats were thrown in his direction.

"SURPRISE!" Will leapt into the air with a hand over his heart as Bedelia, Hannibal, Franklyn, his new roommates, and his dogs greeted him at the door.

"You guys remembered!?" Will cried, hugging his adoptive mother tightly and cowered away from her smothering kisses.

Will's birthday was on September 8th. He had only told Hannibal once before, but he wasn't sure if Hannibal would be able to keep a track of it due to his busy schedule.

Hannibal was next to hug Will tightly and he smirked. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Will."

Will felt the paws and muzzles of his dogs assault him over-joyously, sniffing and leaping up on him as they begged for attention.

"Pizza's in the kitchen sweetheart, come on!" Bedelia moved aside and grabbed Will's hand to lead him inside.

"Congrats, bro!" His roommates whom Will didn't particularly always get along with clamped him on the back and punched him in the shoulders and arms playfully as they followed him into the kitchen and attacked the defenseless pizza sitting on the medium sized kitchen counter.

The house itself was a two-floored level house, with three bathrooms, three bedrooms, and one medium sized kitchen. Will paid a shared rent total of four-hundred and eighty dollars a month, which was rather average for a housing unit as the one they were in.

Will sat down in the living room with two slices of vegetarian pizza on a plate resting on his lap as he awkwardly smiled and listened to Bedelia and his roommates sing "Happy Birthday" along with his howling and whining dogs.

"Shut up!" His roommate Charlie Bronson yelled and laughed as he playfully rustled Winston's light colored fur, earning a yawn from the dog.

Hannibal soon entered the room holding up a beautiful large rectangular cake with white and light blue frosting, and blue carefully, neatly printed words that read: Happy Birthday William. The cake had eighteen perfectly arranged candles about, that danced merrily in the light breeze of the house as Hannibal set the cake on the coffee table in front of Will.

"A most pleasant birthday to you, Will." He smiled proudly and stood next to Bedelia as everyone in the room trained their eyes on Will.

Will set his pizza aside and laughed. "Alright, no pressure, guys!" He leaned forward and took a deep breath before pursing his lips to blow out the candles.

"Hey hey! You need to make a wish, Mister!" Bedelia cried as she slid the cake a few inches away from Will's mouth.

"Oh yeah!" Will rolled his eyes playfully and re-adjusted his glasses on his nose. He closed his eyes and paused for a long time. His mind and ears registered the sound of the large circular black clock resting above his head and the couch on the wall, the sound of the TV left on in the kitchen, blaring the news reports, and the sounds of his dogs whining impatiently.

"While we're still young, buddy." A Vietnamese roommate named Philip Nguyen mocked as he sat down on a brown worn out couch impatiently.

Will smirked and blew out the candles all at once perfectly while his eyes were still closed. Cheers and hoots from his roommates and Bedelia echoed about the house.

"Good form, Will." Hannibal simply said proudly.

"You could have just said: Sweet shit, man!" Charlie joked.

Hannibal didn't even acknowledge the other boy as he held up the carving knife in his right hand, admiring the sharp, clean blade for a few long seconds, almost as if he was going to speak to it and profess his darkest, deepest hidden secrets before he brought it down onto the cake and cut the first slice and handed it to Will.

Their eyes met, and Will blushed as Hannibal intently looked at him and handed him a plastic fork. "Bon appetite."

"You be good, ok sweetie?" Bedelia pinched Will's cheeks lovingly and kissed them roughly as she held him tightly to her.

Will squirmed in her grab as he watched his roommates snicker and whisper to each other devilishly. "Mom, stop! This is embarrassing already!"

She ruffled his hair and smiled warmly. "I love you honey. I am so proud of you, you know that?"

Will blushed. "Ok! I love you too!" He spoke in a hurried rhythm.

Winston head-butted into Will's knees. He looked down at the dog and gently flicked his ear. "I love you too, you little bozo."

"Just call me if you need anything ok?" Bedelia offered her adopted son as he tugged the rest of the dog's leashes and pressed her car key buttons to unlock the doors.

Will nodded and helped Bedelia put the dogs in the car before he gave his stepmother one final hug. "I'll see you during the Holidays mom. I promise."

She sighed and flipped her blonde wavy hair over her shoulder. "I know. Study hard ok?" She ruffled his hair one more time and entered her red SUV car.

"I will!" He waved at her and watched her pull out of the parking lot and drive off into the street as she waved back a final time at him.

Will sighed and turned to face Hannibal standing a few feet away from him in the doorway of the house, hands folded neatly across his front.

Will snorted and gave him a half smile. "Don't look so smug."

Hannibal smiled back. "It's incidental, Will. What would you have me do?"

Will approached Hannibal with a seductive grin plastered on his face. He inhaled the wonderful masculine scent that was Hannibal, and felt himself inwardly groan for contact.

Hannibal and Will had not yet labeled their new relationship. Both boys still were discovering and learning new things about each other, and Will didn't want a label at all for that matter. Since the night of their first passionate kiss in the summer, Will and Hannibal had not initiated further contact. At first, Will had been certain that Hannibal had begun to regret the kiss, but when Hannibal had held Will's hand during the first day after their orientation programs, Will felt more relaxed and at ease.

They weren't exactly "boyfriends" either, but Will often referred to them as such in his own mind. He just didn't want to voice it out loud and have Hannibal retreat. He was not willing to take that chance, so he obeyed Hannibal's space and work time, and tried not to get in the way. Whatever came after was entirely on Hannibal's time and Will allowed the older boy to control the shots, so to speak.

Will ran his eyes up and down Hannibal's tall, lean frame, and inwardly swooned. Hannibal was wearing a black vest, with a white dress shirt underneath it. The first few buttons had been undone, revealing his muscular chest right beneath Will's nose. Hannibal wore his hair professionally and cleanly gelled back today; not even a single small strand of hair coming loose from the rest of the held back group. His skin gleamed in the lights turned on outside the house and in the parking lot, and Will wanted to do nothing more than taste the skin that was shining and almost calling out to him.

"I'd have you do many, many things, Hannibal..." Will flirted. He knew he was taking a big chance, and a big leap in their new relationship, but he wanted to give it a try. Hannibal was a very vocal and verbal person, and Will guessed he was into the whole "dirty talking", but in a very refined manner. Will wanted to take his time and experiment with their word exchanges.

Hannibal's smirk grew wider as his mysterious eyes landed on Will's plump lips. He moved away from his spot at the doorway, and walked towards Will carefully, eyes still on his lips. "Oh? Are you suggesting something naughty then, young Will?"

_"Holy balls! He's eating this right up!" _Will mentally and inwardly cheered at his plan's success.

He played coy and shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked even closer to Hannibal. "I don't know, I mean, you're older than me, after all. Wouldn't you say _you_ are corrupting a minor?"

Hannibal chuckled darkly and reached out a long hand and rested it on Will's shoulder. "I'd do no such thing, Will."

Will felt his heart drop a little at this statement. So Hannibal didn't want to play along after all. What was he thinking? He suddenly felt silly and wanted to recoil and go back into his room inside the house when Hannibal dipped his head low and brought his lips down next to Will's right ear and whispered huskily.

"I'd do so much more than merely corrupt you, Will..." Hannibal's warm breath caressed Will's ear, and the young boy shuddered and unconsciously leaned in close to Hannibal, begging to be held and touched.

"Hannibal..." Will whispered wantonly.

"Yes my Will." Hannibal whispered back, and Will nearly moaned out loud in the night when he felt a hot wet tongue touch his ear.

_"Oh my god!"_

Will rested his head on Hannibal's shoulder, revering in the feeling of Hannibal's hot tongue sliding up and down his ear, as if it were using his ear as a dance floor and practicing and perfecting its own seductive moves only for him.

Will began panting as he felt himself slowly spiraling out of control.

"Tell me what you want me to do to you, Will. I'll never object if the order is coming from you." Hannibal teased as he brushed his teeth slowly along Will's earlobe.

_"He's killing me!"_ Will felt his heart beating so rapidly in his chest, that he was almost certain Hannibal could feel and hear it as well. But he didn't care. This was by far the most erotic and sensual act he had taken part in during his youth and he didn't want it to stop any time soon.

"Hannibal!" He gasped when he felt those sharp large teeth clamp onto the length of his earlobe and hold onto it for a few moments before Hannibal let go and began running his hot tongue along Will's earlobe, as if seeking pardon for the sudden bite.

"Oh god!" Will cried as he clung to Hannibal desperately, trying to hold back the primal urge of rutting up against Hannibal's hips like a wild animal in heat.

"I see you thoroughly liked that, Will." Hannibal merely pointed out the obvious.

Will groaned a bit louder when he felt a strong warm hand rest upon the small of his back.

"What are you doing to me, Hannibal?" He asked a rhetorical question.

Hannibal chuckled in response.

Will closed his eyes and turned his face towards Hannibal's and was about to rest his lips on the older boy's, when a CRASH! came from inside the house.

Will leapt away from Hannibal, still breathing heavily-though from shock and fear instead of excitement.

"Shit!" He heard Charlie's voice drift towards them from the kitchen.

"Max! You ate all the pizza!" He called to another roommate, Max Flannigan, a boy who weighed approximately two-hundred and ninety pounds of pure muscle. Max was training to become an athlete, but was oddly majoring in Political Science, for one reason or another. Max was always seen stuffing his face, and he didn't seem to cease eating. However, the boy would normally hit the gym right after his meals and work out with the weight sets until everyone else had cleared the gym practically.

Will never got in his way due to his size and his over-all negative attitude. He reminded Will all too much of Jack Crawford, and Will certainly didn't want any more trouble.

"Dude, it was sitting there. What was I supposed to do? Make love to it?" Max retorted back.

"Hey! You even drank all the beer!? What the hell, Max!"

Will turned to Hannibal and ran a hand awkwardly through his hair. Why did his bloody fool roommates have to go and ruin their moment?! It was perfect!

"We'd better head inside." Will said numbly as he turned and practically ran inside the house, not wanting to face Hannibal for the moment. The buildup had instantaneously been broken down. Strange how difficult it was to create something, and so easy it was to destroy it.

He felt Hannibal's eyes on his retreating back as he entered the house and headed for the small set of stairs that lead to his room on the second floor of the house.

He turned before he could be rude, and looked down at Hannibal's feet. "Thank you, for everything. The birthday surprise was a treat."

Hannibal didn't smile but nodded. "My pleasure, Will."

"It was great seeing you again." Will felt as if he were reciting from a textbook rather than genuinely thanking Hannibal for his kindness and he wanted to kick himself in the ass for it. He should have been more warm and approachable.

"I bid you good night, Will." Was all Hannibal said before he turned and curtly exited the house, closing the door gently behind him.

"MAX!"

"Oh shut the hell up."

"Happy Birthday to me indeed." Will sighed as he continued to ascend the stairs. He had never been so happy to close and lock his door as he had that night.

Stars shining bright above you,  
>Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"<br>Birds singing in the sycamore tree,  
>Dream a little dream of me...<br>Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me,  
>Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me,<br>While I'm alone and blue as can be  
>Dream a little dream of me<br>Stars fading but I linger on, dear  
>Still craving your kiss<br>I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear  
>Just saying this<br>Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you  
>Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you,<br>But in your dreams whatever they be  
>Dream a little dream of me!<p>

The voice of Doris Day greeted Hannibal's ears as he walked down the narrow, empty hallways of the student housing building he was currently in as he headed back to his room for the night. The noise did nothing but make him irate, though he did not show it.

Hannibal had felt the increasing amount of sexual tension rising between Will and himself, but he was uncertain of where to take it. Hannibal did not wish to impose on Will, nor did he want to force himself on the younger boy; no matter how much he begged and no matter how badly he wanted to have Will to himself. He felt that Will was merely flirting and playing with him at this stage of their odd relationship rather than actually wanting sexual relations.

Hannibal blamed it all on youth and hormones, but he respected Will's wishes nonetheless. He wanted nothing more than to take Will upstairs to his room that night, and touch him until he came apart at the seams in his hands. Will was now eighteen, and Hannibal felt morally more at ease about taking Will for himself. He didn't want to take advantage of Will, and he knew he would definitely stop if Will should ask. But he knew for a fact that Will simply was not yet ready.

Hannibal had done the gentleman thing to do and simply left when he felt the situation was nearly reaching out of hand, but he almost regretted it when he walked down the hallways and turned left and then right towards his room. He stopped at an open door to the left side of him and peered inside a dimly lit room.

A few feet ahead of him was a medium sized single bed, and all Hannibal could see were shiny clean black dress shoes tapping along expertly to the rhythm of Doris Day's song as it played over and over again in the room.

Hannibal growled lightly and walked forward to knock on the door. "I beg your pardon."

The music didn't stop, and the tapping of the feet didn't stop on the bed.

He knocked again, not wanting to set a foot inside the room. "Excuse me!" He called out a little louder, hoping he wouldn't wake anyone on the floor or in the hallway.

Suddenly, the feet stopped their little dancing moves, and they swung over the side of the bed, and hurried to the far left corner of the room Hannibal couldn't see from his awkward diagonal angle near the door.

He heard the music stop at once, and he breathed out in peace. Silence at last.

The shoes padded over to him suddenly, and the door flew open. Hannibal wanted to hiss in anger when he was face to face with Mason Verger. The boy had messy blonde bed-head hair that stood up stock still, erect like a woodpecker's crown. His glasses were dirty, fingerprints littered all over the lenses, and he was wearing a half un-tucked wrinkled red dress shirt. He looked a mess. His room however was strangely in perfect condition. A bookshelf was resting against the wall above a study desk, the cubicle light turned off, and the top of the desk was cleaned and the books perfectly arranged on the top shelf. His brown-red dresser was next to the bed, and not a single hygiene product was on top of the desk. Only a small square framed picture of Mason and another red-headed young girl wearing her hair in two long braids was displayed, followed by another picture frame of the same young girl on top of a large dark brown horse leaping across a field next to the other picture.

Mason followed Hannibal's eyes resting on the photos and he smiled and laughed out a choked laugh that Hannibal wanted to cringe at immediately. "My sister, Margot. She loves horses. Can't get enough of 'em! She rides professionally and for sport you know. Such a delicate art, horseback riding..."

Hannibal held up a hand to silence Mason. Frankly, Hannibal knew it was too late in the night for lengthy conversations, and secondly, he felt utterly disturbed by Mason Verger's voice. Mason had a slightly nasal voice, but there were times when it graveled out almost like nails going down a chalkboard to Hannibal's ears, and it made his ribcage rattle with anger and distaste for the boy.

"That's all well and good, Mason. But I came by to tell you to kindly turn down your music."

Mason laughed another choppy, annoying laugh. "Way ahead of you, Hannibal."

Hannibal didn't say a word and turned to head back into his room and get some sleep before his seven in the morning shower and then work shift. "Thank you." He called out from over his shoulder.

"Say, would you like to come in for a while? I could use some company." Mason asked as he stepped out into the hall.

"No thank you, Mason." Hannibal answered very quickly-perhaps, too quickly.

Mason looked as if he wanted to crumple onto the floor and shatter in a hundred pieces. He had a genuinely hurt expression on his face, and it seemed as if he was almost pouting; his pink lips curling downward on his face, and his eyes narrowing at Hannibal. "I see...well fair enough, another time then?" He asked as he perked up a bit at the silent hope he had made himself internally.

Hannibal nodded and closed the door to his room. "Fiend." He whispered once the door was entirely shut.

Before he had a chance to turn and set his things inside his room, he heard Mason whisper back through the other side of his door: "You have _no_ idea."

Mason's such a creepy little shit. That's seriously all I can say for now. Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter!


	3. Dark Gathering Clouds

**Chapter 2**

"Mr. Lecter, job well done on last night's shadow shift. We are very impressed with your work so far. Keep up the good work." Dr. Emanuel Forsythe gave Hannibal a small, encouraging pat on the back and threw him a proud smile as Hannibal walked to the change rooms in the hospital and took off his light blue scrub and set his hospital cap inside the locker neatly.

"Always a pleasure to work with a prominent surgeon." Hannibal smiled back and threw his white gloves into a disposable bin carefully.

The third week of September brought for Hannibal much hard work. He had already read through most of his books about surgery, doctor and patient ethics, and was starting to prepare early for midterm exams and projects. He had been allowed to work in the hospital mostly as an observer and a lab assistant, handling blood vials of patients and storing them in the lab before handing them off to other labs if they needed further testing. Some days he worked as a receptionist and a secretary, taking phone calls whenever the hospital was busy, and booking patients for appointments here and there. He eagerly tried to pick up as many shifts as he could before the studies piled up like a mountain heap upon his shoulders. Hannibal also figured he could use the extra hours and references to his benefit in the future of surgery and medicine.

Hannibal pulled out his light brown suit jacket and put it on as he pulled out his cell phone from the pocket and turned it on to text Will.

**"My shift has ended, Will. Do you care for some company and tea?"**

After he hit "send", he departed from the hospital and walked down the dark street. Hannibal looked at the time on his cell phone and raised his eyebrows. It was shortly after midnight already. He was sure Will was probably asleep at this point, but the phone buzzed to life almost immediately.

**"Thought you'd never ask! Can I come over?"** Hannibal was about to text back a reply, when he suddenly felt as if someone or something was watching him. Hannibal had often been commended on his set of highly sharp skills. It was as if his five senses had been combined and doubled into ten great acute senses. Many of his fellow teachers and classmates had often told him he was far too superior in his senses to be human. And now Hannibal definitely knew someone was observing him in the dark of the night as he slowly inhaled deeply.

It was a strong male scent that reached his nose and alerted every fibre and cell in his brain. He collected himself, pocketed the phone, and walked on forward, trying to act as casual as possible. He whistled a little tune to himself and watched the slightly damp pavement pass him by as he kept a leisure pace. The sound of his own melodic whistling was nearly comforting in an odd sense as he moved forward. The scent still followed, however, and it only seemed to grow stronger.

Not wanting to risk endangering Will's life, Hannibal decided he would deal with the stalker himself; using his own creative methods.

Hannibal made a sharp, abrupt turn left when he saw he was drawing closer to the street that Will's shared house was located on. He kept on whistling as he trained his keen hearing and nose on the intruder that was stalking him.

There was a small playground located close nearby, and Hannibal decided he would enter the playground. It was surrounded by a small black fence that barely reached up to Hannibal's thighs, and the long-legged boy climbed over the fence gracefully. He walked over to a small, old swing set, and sat down as he continued whistling to himself.

Hannibal looked to the seat on his right and he chuckled._ "Always room for one more."_

He closed his eyes, and set his strong hearing senses on the bushes in front and surrounding the playground. He heard the earth and dirt beneath on the ground shift and crunch as the steps of the male following and watching him shifted back and forth almost uncomfortably.

Hannibal opened his eyes slowly, and gazed at the night around him. The night air was cool and crisp, almost like biting into a fresh head of lettuce. He peered at the stars around, and got up from his seat as he kept his neck tilted up and his head leaning back a little. He smiled to himself and whistled a different tune as he walked in a lazy circle around the sand in the playground.

He soon began humming as he walked in larger circles, moving his black shoes very deftly, each move carefully and rigidly planned in a disguise of carelessness and play. Hannibal raised his hands with purpose, almost resembling the various depictions of the Lord Christ on the crucifix.

He spun faster and faster, arms reaching for the sky more and more as he reached the bushes around the black fence. Then, as quick as lightning striking the earth, Hannibal leapt up from both his long, strong muscular legs as high as he could, over the fence, and right down onto the stalker who had been following him.

"ARGH!" The muffled voice cried in pain as Hannibal grabbed the back of his covered head, shoved it face-down onto the mud and grass, and held the kicking man roughly with the weight of his entire body.

"Let him go!" Hannibal did not do such a thing, but he stopped struggling as soon as he heard and recognized the voice.

He looked up to see Brian Zeller come out from behind a large oak tree in the dark. The boy had grown a few inches taller in the last year, and he was wearing a well-trimmed, thick dark beard with a small black tuque on his head and black gloves. He was wearing small blue jogging shorts, and held a little paper bag in his glove-covered hands.

"Let him go Hannibal! You'll choke him!" Hannibal peered down to see a kicking and writhing Jimmy Price under his own body.

Hannibal groaned softly and rolled off the younger boy and pulled him effortlessly back onto his two feet, holding him by the shirt collar using only one hand. Jimmy was also wearing black from head to toe, but hadn't grown as much as Brian had in the passing year. His hair had grown a little bit, revealing a thick, full look to it.

"What are you two doing following people in the middle of the night?" Hannibal hissed as he brushed himself off.

"Chill! We were looking for Will, actually." Jimmy said as he craned his neck and then cringed and massaged it. "What the hell did you do to me?!"

"We came by to surprise him and give him this!" Brian motioned to the paper bag he held in his hands.

Hannibal narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits at Brian, and in two deft moves, he bounded over to Brian and swiped the paper bag into his own hands.

"What the shit?!" The young boy cried in shock.

"Silence yourself!" Hannibal yelled back as he opened the paper bag and frantically dug out its contents.

A large bottle of chardonnay was all he found. He sighed and looked at Brian with exhausted eyes. "Will doesn't drink much. But it is a kind gesture."

"So it was worth it then to kick my ass over that?!" Jimmy yelled as he snatched back the paper bag and the bottle and stuffed it carefully back in the bag.

"Dude we spent like, all our summer savings for it..." Brian said as he dug his hands into his short pockets.

"I had no idea you were capable of finding a summer job, let alone keeping one." Hannibal glared and muttered as he turned and began walking back towards the street that lead back to Will's house.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Jimmy said as he and Brian followed Hannibal.

"I assure you; it wasn't one." Hannibal said although he faced forward and barely acknowledged the two boys.

"So Hannibal, I gotta ask, man, where did you learn those slick moves from?" Brian asked as he sped up a bit and caught up with Hannibal. He huffed and puffed as he tried to keep up with the older boy, but Hannibal having the advantage of long legs and height was moving faster than he intended to without exertion.

Hannibal looked over at Brian silently, though he wore an un-impressed expression on his face.

"You were all like, ninja and shit!" Brian held up both his hands in a mock Bruce Lee combat position, and began making horrid, loud, exaggerated fighting noises.

"Hiiiiiyaaaaa! Waaaataaaaa! Ooooooowaaahhh!" He chopped at the air back and forth and slammed his fist into Jimmy's face as the other boy brushed up to him.

"OWWW!" He cried as he covered his nose in pain and anger.

"Kindly cease and desist before I am forced to call upon the police." Hannibal warned calmly as he tried to ignore the two buffoons behind him.

The boys jogged up behind him, slapping and trying to flying-kick each other in the face or body as they laughed and roared like a rabid pack of hyenas.

"Hey Hannibal! Don't tell Will we're with you! We wanna still surprise him." Jimmy cried as he playfully shoved Brian forward, resulting in the other boy to turn around and shove him in return.

Hannibal smiled to himself as he saw the front door lights on in the house that Will lived in. "Pity. I was going to tell Will I brought two friends and was planning on having them for dinner."

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Will was just as surprised and confused to see Brian and Jimmy as Hannibal had been earlier once the trio had reached the shared house.

Will was the perfect host, however, and brought out snacks for Brian and Jimmy, and the two boys munched the food down while Will took Hannibal's coat and hung it in the closet. By the time he had returned with Hannibal to the living room, Brian and Jimmy were too busy having a food fight.

"You can't leave them alone for two seconds, can you?" Will asked as he shook his head at the pathetic display before him in the living room. Food was flying through the air in rapid succession, littering all over the couches, tables, lamps, chairs, carpet, DVD player, TV, and PS3 player. The room looked worse than a jungle within seconds.

"I'll be right back. There's only one way to deal with this." He said to Hannibal as he watched the boys chuck Oreos at each other after they had taken them apart and licked off the white icing in the middle.

"I conquer." Hannibal said back as he watched Will go into the kitchen, reach in a cupboard under the sink, and pull out a yellow pail. He filled it to the top with cold tap water, and walked back to the living room.

"Jimmy, Brian!" He called, and dunked the water on the two over-excited boys in a second flat.

"WILLLL!" They both cried in unison as they sat with the Oreos all over the floor, water all over the carpet and their clothing, dripping.

"That'll cool you off." Will said as he sat down on a dry couch.

"So _this_ is the thanks we get for bringing you the goods, huh?" Jimmy growled as he shook his head like one of Will's dogs after a bath.

Will face-palmed and rubbed his eyes and forehead tiredly as he took off his glasses. "I don't drink much, you guys know that."

"Hey don't hate; appreciate." Brian said as he nodded to confirm the odd statement that had flown out of his mouth as he flicked water drops around the place.

Will rolled his eyes. "What are you guys doing anyway? I'm surprised you didn't get expelled from Baltimore State High School by now."

Jimmy laughed. "We're in our final year, but we skip pretty much every other class. Shit's not the same without you, Will."

Brian nodded. "It's true. But Jack is not back this year...I mean we see Tobias every now and then in between classes, but Jack is nowhere to be found."

"I doubt anyone misses him." Hannibal muttered as he walked and sat down on the couch next to Will gracefully and almost silently as his feet made no noise on the carpet.

"Alana might." Will regretted saying that the minute he closed his mouth. It was as if everyone in the room had felt the blade sink in immediately. The room even seemed almost colder as soon as he had mentioned her name.

While Will had gotten completely over Alana, he knew and had to admit that she was still part of the reason why he couldn't fully have a sexual relationship with Hannibal quite so soon. He trusted Hannibal, and that was not fully an issue for the couple; he just didn't know how to give himself to Hannibal entirely. He knew his heart was for Hannibal, but he was not yet ready to give his body to Hannibal. Will was still frightened and feared abandonment. That was the main reason why he has chosen to take their relationship slowly.

"So umm...anyway Will, how are classes here?" Brian interrupted as he took off his hat and squeezed the water from it.

"Hey! That's the floor!" Will growled.

"Didn't think of that before you soaked us." Jimmy growled.

"Classes are fine, really, I like the challenge, and most of my professors are more intellectual than half the entire staff at Baltimore State High School." Will ignored Jimmy's earlier comment. He just didn't trust his own emotions and mouth too much at the moment, and didn't have the energy to deal with the immature boys this late in the night either. Therefore, silence and less chit chat was his best weapon and ticket out of the situation.

"And how are your roommates gettin' along with...you know..." Jimmy motioned with his head over in Hannibal's direction of the room, his chin jutting out in an ugly manner.

Will shook his head. "With what?"

Jimmy cleared his throat and sat back with his hands resting on his knees. "Well...you know!"

"I don't, you have to be more clear, Jimmy." Will said as he sighed exhaustedly. He was in no mood for games tonight.

"Ok, look, are your roommates ok with your..._relationship_ with Hannibal?" Jimmy asked quickly and hid his red face.

Will laughed and threw his hands in the air; a mock gesture of surrender almost. "Why is everyone so touchy around that? We're not really doing anything illegal! Come on!"

"That's not what I meant...I wasn't trying to be offensive, man!" Jimmy argued angrily as his face grew even more red when he looked over at Hannibal's calm and collected face.

"Do you happen to mean sexual relations?" Hannibal cut through the room.

"NO! I mean, I never asked!" Jimmy cried as he scratched his wet head and nervously shook his hands about.

"You implied it, though! That's bad enough, just come out and say it. Have some decency!" Will cried, taking Hannibal's side.

What was wrong with everyone? Were they really afraid to say the word "homosexual"?

"Come on, Will! I'm your friend! You know I'm not the type to pick at certain groups of people." Jimmy argued defensively as he held up his hands high in the air as if being held up by the police.

Hannibal laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. "And pray tell, just what _groups of people_ do you happen to be referring to?"

Jimmy nearly choked. "You know! Guys who-"

"Go on." Will hissed as he mimicked Hannibal's curt body language.

"Don't make me say it." Jimmy said nervously, eyes darting around the room as if he was afraid someone was listening in on the conversation.

"Say it." Hannibal ordered.

"Say it, now!" Will growled along as he kept his dark eyes on Jimmy.

Jimmy was never one to be a homophobic person by nature, but Will had observed the other boy cringe and mime sticking his hand down his throat to make himself vomit once he had witnessed two guys making out in a park during one hang out in the summer. It had never really bothered Will because the situation was never pointed directly at him as it was now.

"You know! H-h-hom-m-m-" Jimmy began.

"This is kind of hot." Brian interrupted.

A silence was all that flew about the room at that statement, when thundering steps descended from the second floor of the house and down the hallway. They continued until they stopped in front of the living room.

Max Flannigan had seemingly come out of the shower on the second floor of the house, his dark brown hair wet and spiky with fresh gel pasted onto it, his dark green eyes piercing the room and the people within it as he flexed his large muscles through his white t-shirt unconsciously.

"H-h-hey." Brian said as he stared at the bigger boy in awe.

"Umm...what the hell are you guys doing?" Max asked as he ignored Brian.

Brian gulped loudly. "Wish I knew." He whispered, the statement barely audible as his eyes seemed to gobble up the sight that was Max Flannigan.

Brian and Freddy Lounds had unfortunately had one too many fights and arguments during the summer, and had resorted to taking a break from their romantic relationship. While Brian claimed he still loved Freddy deep down, Will began to doubt it for he often witnessed Brian flirting with many people as of late; male and female. He wondered if Brian was bisexual, but Will was never one to pry and didn't bother inquiring about Brian's romantic preferences.

But he felt he nearly wanted to, especially the way Brian was checking out Max as the other boy stood in the doorway of the living room and looked around, bored.

"We're just talking." Jimmy said, looking to be relieved that someone had interrupted the awkward conversation in the nick of time.

"Why's the floor all wet?" Max asked as he took a step forward into the room, and then back out when he gaped at the drenched boys.

"You guys are covered in it too!"

"That's what she said." Brian dumbly said out loud.

Everyone slowly turned to look at Brian.

"Sorry. Thought it'd be funny. I'll shut up now." He hung his head low and looked down at his feet.

"They were acting out like the moronic two-year-old giant man-children they are, and I wanted to cool them off." Will said as if it had been no big deal at all.

Max looked at his muscles and nodded. "Whatever. We got any Twinkies left? Can't find any in my room."

Brian suddenly looked up at Max, his body jerking forward awkwardly. He looked at Will in confusion.

"Umm. Sometimes he gets these weird cravings late at night and resorts to eating Twinkies. Relax, champ." Will explained to Brian calmly.

"I'm gonna check the fridge." Max trudged along over to the kitchen.

Jimmy looked up at the black clock resting on the wall before things could get even more weird and awkward. He cleared his throat and stood, yawning and stretching as he pulled Brian up with him to his side.

"Well, we should go, man. It's one in the morning and we know you have classes tomorrow."

He excused himself, practically racing for the front door as he gathered his belongings and stood outside waiting for Brian.

Will had been certain that Jimmy's awkward behaviour was due to the fact that he knew Hannibal and Will were romantically involved. While Will still considered Jimmy a close friend, he knew he would never be able to change or convince the other boy to accept his relationship with Hannibal.

_"I don't have a thing against gays, dude, but keep that shit as far away from me as possible is all I am sayin'."_ Jimmy's cold words echoed in Will's mind as he helped Brian gathering his belongings and walked him towards the front door.

Hannibal followed them silently.

Brian was more accepting of Will's new relationship with Hannibal, and he gave Will a small brotherly hug.

"I appreciate the surprise, and thanks for the little treat." Will said as he smiled at Brian warmly, while keeping an eye on Jimmy at the door, who stood looking nervously at the ground and kicking about at little pieces of dried up grass and mud.

"Hey anytime, man. You two take good care of each other, ok?" He nodded over at Hannibal, and pet Will on the shoulder before he turned and headed for the door and followed Jimmy into the dark.

"Hmm, on a scale of one to ten, how successfully do you think that went over?" Hannibal asked as he whispered next to Will.

"Negative eight." Will sighed as he leaned into Hannibal's side gently.

He heard the shuffling of feet behind him, but kept staring out into the dark night as Max approached them.

"We're out of Twinkies."

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Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope I was able to bring back the amusing comedy of Brian and Jimmy for a few laughs before the story begins turning gruesome and tragic. Read and review!

Avixi


	4. Actus Reus

**Chapter 3**

**AUTHOR NOTE: **WARNING: Attempted rape! Implied past child abuse! Proceed at your own discretion!

Miriam Lass treated her first study session with Will as a coffee get-together. She bought Will a medium sized decaf cup, and a two-sugar and cream medium sized cup for herself as they quickly found a seat in the busy coffee shop on the large campus of UMBC.

The weather was quite cold for the first week of October. Many students were already wearing gloves, mittens, scarves, and boots. While there had been no signs of early snow coming, the rain did not seem to want to leave any time soon, and most days it rained continuously for hours.

Piles of leaves had flown around the sidewalks and roads all over campus, making the once beautiful and luscious ambiance turn almost swamp-like in appearance. Puddles that seemed to only be small cleverly hid themselves in the depth of the large potholes on the roads and streets, and if ever a poor, unfortunate student happened to step into one, they faced an entire rest of their day with kneecap high water drenched pants and shoes.

Will rested a hand on his chin as he looked out the large window in the coffee shop at students and professors trying to hold onto their coats and hats as the wind assaulted them harshly, even managing to push a few people off balance.

"Thank God I'm not out there." Miriam mumbled as she sipped her coffee and wrinkled her nose suddenly. "Too much sugar!"

Will didn't respond, but observed her from his peripheral vision pull out her binders and their sociology textbook with a small pack of highlighters ready to go on the tabletop.

"So how far did you read?" She asked Will as she opened her pink flower-designed binder and flipped through the lengthy pages of notes from top to bottom all over each and every page inside the binder.

Will looked about on the University campus grounds, his eyes floating around and landing on the people outside as they went about their day in a routinely manner. He stopped on a few guys who wore the same coat as Hannibal, and had the same styled black dress shoes. He sighed and turned to Miriam.

Miriam had a raised eyebrow as she stared at Will, the steam rising up from her coffee and whipping about her face as if she had bewitched the cup and ordered it to wind about in the air like a snake being charmed.

"What?" He asked carelessly.

"You look like those dopey bimbos in all those teen movies who has a strong crush."

Will flopped his hand down onto the cold surface of the tabletop. "I do _not_ resemble those bimbos!"

"Yes you do, you're even sighing like you were born to do it." Miriam sat back and put her hair up in her trade-mark clean ponytail. How she was able to collect each and every strand of her long, thick hair without the use of a comb or mirror was simply astonishing to Will. She didn't even use an extra clip or bobby-pin at all.

"Alright. Enough monkey business." She breathed out, her breath grazing across the steaming cup, separating the sensual steam and pushing it back to Will.

"I read everything we're supposed to for the upcoming midterm." Will simply said as he gripped his own coffee cup in his hands and drew the cup to his chest. He tried to get all the heat into his own cold hands as much as he could.

"Will, that's good, but it's not good _enough_." Miriam sighed as she took out a pen and began writing something on the paper within the binder.

"What do you mean not good _enough_?" Will inquired as he lazily sat back in his chair and tapped his toes on the tiled floor of the coffee shop.

"Well if the professor says you need to read four chapters, why not push yourself and read six? You need to always be a few steps ahead of everyone else, Will. That's the only way you're going to succeed."

Will tried not to focus too much on the loud noises of the other patrons of the coffee shop as they engaged in their own hearty conversations; some laughing and others practically screaming from joy. A large group of girls sat in the corner next to the window, all of them had their laptops out and open as they laughed and chatted amongst themselves.

Will shivered a bit, and cursed the coffee shop owners internally. He wondered why they couldn't simply turn on the heat yet.

"Are you listening, Will?" Miriam's frustrated voice brought him out of his sudden pause.

"Yes, I heard you, Miriam."

She didn't believe him and gave him a look that clearly communicated that.

"No I do agree, and it is important to always stay on task and fully ahead. Good method." Will added, hoping he'd be exempt from her scorn, now.

Miriam Lass may have been a thin girl, but she sure did give off a dominant and ambitious demeanour that Will did not ever want to disturb for he knew she would make sure there would be hell to pay.

They worked along well together and got along, and Will did not ever wish to go away and disrupt that. Miriam had been kind enough to lend Will her notes and give him more detailed examples as they drew multiple examples from the class lectures and tried to apply majority of the theories into their own life experiences.

"Should we go over Merton's theory of Anomie again? I kind of feel like Dr. Desroches never went over that enough in class." Miriam offered as she downed the rest of her coffee quickly.

_"A little too eager, I think."_ Will smirked at his thoughts, but nodded and pulled out his materials to get ready.

Miriam had barely spoken a few words into her mock lecture, when Will suddenly heard the laughter of a child. Although the coffee shop was extremely busy that day, and multiple voices were mixing together so that it wasn't easy to pick out even the slightest word and differentiate it from the rest of the noises flying around, Will still knew this sound for what it was: A child's laughter.

He whipped around in his seat, eager to see a new face and a new age group, but there were only a few tired looking teachers and students in line at the front of the coffee shop.

Will's eyes searched and searched the coffee shop, but there was no trace of a child at all.

"Over here, Will." He felt the jab of Miriam's pen in his shoulder, and he turned back, shaking his head and sipping his coffee quickly.

Miriam watched him with curious eyes. "You ok there?" She asked softly.

Will set his cup down and wiped his chin delicately. His tongue burned like the tenth level of hell, but he responded still. "Is this decaf or a coffee straight from the bowels of hell, Miriam? Jesus...what did they put in this thing?"

She only shot him a puzzled glance.

He shook his head and cleared his burning throat. "Maybe I'm going crazy. I thought I heard something."

Miriam laughed. "Well we _are_ in a popular, busy coffee shop, Will. What were you expecting?" She laughed it off and wrapped her coat around herself tightly as the door swung open and more students entered, eager to get their food and beverages for the day, but also brought in the cold, harsh wind along with them.

"Nothing, let's just go over Anomie theory again, and then I think we should study together for Criminology too. I have an essay due soon on the differences between the classical and rational choice theory on crime."

Miriam nodded at that set agenda. "Let's do this!"

Will smiled back and began writing the date at the top of his page in beautiful neat handwriting, when he heard the child's laughter once again.

He hadn't been imagining it that time! It was a sharp, chipper, short laugh. It was the type of laugh that immediately made you want to laugh and smile in return due to how damn contagious it was.

Will looked up at the ceiling of the coffee shop. The radio wasn't even on today in the shop...but he had heard the laughter; he was one-hundred percent certain of it.

When he turned to look at the line-up at the door again, the door opened slowly, and Mason Verger practically tumbled inside the cafeteria like a clumsy oaf.

Will snorted pitifully at the sight that was Mason Verger at the door. Apparently the idea and presence of a comb had never been introduced to Mason. His hair stood very crazily up from the top of his head, and likely due to the increasing amount of wind blowing harshly about, and the damp atmosphere, it looked quite frizzy this morning. He was wearing a strange fashioned grey trench coat with thick black buttons, and Will hated to admit it: but from afar, it nearly resembled an old German Nazi officer trench coat. Mason wore thick black boots and his glasses were soaked with rain. A small leaf clung to the back of his head, almost smiling at everyone devilishly in the shop as Mason whipped and turned his head around and around, looking at everything and nothing.

"He looks like a confused sparrow." Miriam stated as she watched Mason carefully too, her pen still upon her paper.

Will nodded, still looking at Mason. "He creeps me out. Ran into him during the time I was moving into student residence."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He didn't talk to me at all, though. He seems to be more interested in Hannibal." Will explained.

Miriam knew who Hannibal was, but Will had been careful not to tell her that he was romantically involved with Hannibal. He didn't trust Miriam too much still, and he figured she wanted to focus mostly on her studies rather than relationship worries and drama.

"I never talk to him. No one does, really." Miriam explained back as she looked back down at her work.

"Why not?" Will asked. "Surely he has _some_ friends..."

"I don't know, and I don't care, Will. Let's just get back to work, please. Mason Verger scares the heck out of me, never gave me good vibes to begin with, and that's reason enough for me never to get involved with him." Miriam had the final say and began highlighting rapidly.

Will turned back and looked down at the books and notebooks on the tabletop. Miriam had stated many good points: Why even bother with Mason, given all the creepy feelings he gave everyone around him? It wasn't worth it.

Will turned back over his shoulder one final time, and this time his eyes met directly with Mason Verger's.

Mason kept his cold, blue eyes trained on Will, the fog and drying raindrops shielding his true expression held in his eyes from Will's sight, but Will guessed Mason was staring at him with derision.

Will kept his ground, however, and stared back at Mason, as if challenging him. Both boys began feeling tense as they stared at each other across the room. Will didn't feel cold at all anymore, as he felt the steam and heat of his anger for Mason begin to rise out of his chest and flood the coffee shop.

Mason suddenly grabbed his food from the cashier, and shoved a small handful of bills at her before throwing one final glare at Will before he made his way towards the door to exit.

Before he left, Will could have sworn on his soul and his parents' graves that he heard yet again the chipper giggle of the young child's voice again.

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Hannibal sighed happily to himself as he turned on the hot water faucet in the large bathtub inside the bathroom of his room. It had been yet again another long day at the hospital, but Hannibal had luckily gone home for the evening that day and managed to grab a bite to eat before he decided to relieve his aching joints and muscles in a warm shower.

He ran his hands up and down his chest as he gathered lather and soap about his chest. He had finished shampooing his hair, and took his time with the soap. He admired its scent and its gentle texture upon his skin. The bottle had been kept in the bathroom all day, and the heat of the room had kept the liquid soap from cooling off, and it was more than welcome on Hannibal's skin.

Hannibal turned over the bottle and squeezed out some more liquid soap for himself. He had been meaning to text or call Will right after work to arrange some plans for time only for themselves, but he had barely eaten much all day due to the hectic schedule, and he was very well aware that Will had many upcoming papers and midterms due. It was better for both of them if they kept up their energy for work and studies rather than other 'extra-curricular' activities.

Hannibal wondered what Will was up to at this moment in time as he opened his mouth and allowed some of the shower water to flood his mouth and he swished it about a few times and then spat it out carefully. He knew Will was definitely at home with his roommates, but he was more specifically wondering what he was up to all alone in his room. Will had made new friends, but Hannibal knew he craved more than merely friendship; especially from him.

Hannibal felt obliged to take care of Will's each and every little need. He would be there, at the boy's beck and call, treating him as he deserved to be. Hannibal wondered how Will would look like if he blushed like mad whenever they were alone together.

He imagined that heated, flushed skin next to his own as they lay down together, Hannibal on top of Will, cradling the boy's thin body carefully on Will's bed. Hannibal imagined Will's warm welcoming lips entrapping his own as they lazed about on the bed in the sunlight lazily, kissing and taking their time sucking on each other's lower lip while the sun heated their bodies.

Hannibal moaned out loud when he felt Will sucking passionately on his tongue, nearly drawing the life out of the older boy. The thing's Will's mouth was doing to him was absolutely unheard of to the human ears.

Hannibal nuzzled his face into Will's neck and bit down on the soft sweaty skin there. He wanted to bite the boy to death, practically, marking his light colored skin every inch of the way. He began breathing heavily, running a hand down his chest and resting on his navel as he felt Will wrap his legs around his waist tightly.

Hannibal pressed his entire weight on Will, and nudged open the other boy's legs as he looked down at him with passion and lust combined in one.

"How I want you, Will. How I need you..." He whispered as he flashed him his sharp white teeth.

Hannibal grabbed Will's hands in his own, and kissed all ten fingers slowly, as if making love to all of Will's fingers turn-by-turn. When he was done kissing them, he sucked each flesh covered digit slowly and sensually, never taking his eyes off Will. He then began biting and nipping the tender flesh next, earning loud moans and desperate pants from Will.

Hannibal felt Will begin to lose control beneath him as he moaned and arched up against him sensually. "Hannibal!"

Hannibal grasped his throbbing, aching desire for Will in his own strong hand, and confidently began stroking it as he looked deeply into Will's eyes. He nearly lost all control when he watched Will look down at him stroking and holding his length. Will ran his tongue along his lower lip, and Hannibal wanted to lean down and taste that saliva more than anything else in the whole world.

He quickened the pace of his stroking, his hand expertly flying up and down his length and twisting at the end carefully as he moaned Will's name louder and louder in the bathroom. He relished in hearing his voice echo throughout the bathroom as he imagined it was Will's voice crying out for him.

Hannibal watched as Will ran his hands down to his own hard length and grasped it as he blushed and smiled up at Hannibal.

"Yes! Do it, and place two fingers inside yourself, Will." Hannibal instructed, trying to hold back from bursting when he observed Will listen to him right away.

"Suck first!" Hannibal hissed as he grabbed Will's hand and brought it up to his own mouth, tongue darting out and thoroughly licking and sucking Will's fingers. Hannibal began to moan loudly around Will's fingers.

A loud knocking soon broke Hannibal out of his little heavenly paradise. He groaned loudly and slammed a clenched fist at the bathroom tiled wall. He had been so damn close! Hannibal normally didn't resort to such methods of dealing with his carnal desires, but the last few weeks had truly been nothing but torture for him. Despite trying to busy himself with work and school, he found he had no control over his thoughts and mind whenever it came to Will. The young boy had manged to float into his mind and heart at his own accord, and the weeks of pent-up sexual frustration had been enough for Hannibal. It had gotten so terribly out of control, that he had practically felt the need to rush Will into the nearest area of privacy and kiss him until he was a sopping, uncontrolled heap beneath him every time they were in a room together.

Hannibal silenced his out of control breaths and pants and turned off the water. The knocking still didn't stop, so he growled and threw back the shower curtain, picked up a white towel resting on the sink next to the standing shower, wrapped it around the nude lower half of his soaked body, and headed to see who it was knocking so profusely on his door.

He peeked in the peephole at the front door and inwardly cringed when he saw Mason Verger standing outside in the hall.

Hannibal slowly unlocked and opened the door for the boy, wearing a half-smile on his face. "Good evening, Mason."

"Heya!" Mason immediately pushed past Hannibal, inviting himself in Hannibal's small home. Mason looked as if he had actually put in half an effort to dress nice today. His hair however was still a mess and a half. He wore an ironed dark blue dress shirt with a long, casual grey tie over it, and matching grey dress pants that seemed to be a bit too tight and black dress shoes.

Mason turned on his toes, the toes of the shoes screeching across the floor of Hannibal's rented home in a very annoying manner.

"Forgive me for being ignorant, Hannibal. I'd definitely have dressed-or shall we say, under-dressed-given the occasion, but I must have missed the memo." He joked as looked at the towel lewdly.

Hannibal frowned darkly at Mason but didn't say a word. The boy had already displayed more than three acts of rudeness and Hannibal wanted him out of the room at once.

"Mason. If you'd be so kind as to leave, please." Hannibal warned gently but sternly.

"Hey come on now! No need to be a sour-puss! After all, you _did_ say we could arrange another time, remember?"

Hannibal felt truly disappointed in himself. He should have known that Mason would definitely follow-up on hollow, empty promises. While technically Hannibal hadn't been the one to agree to another "arrangement" or "meet-up", he hadn't fully vocally objected and rejected the offer either. He hadn't wanted conflict at the time, and thought that playing neutral would work. That old trick clearly wouldn't work on Mason Verger and the boy took everything so literally.

Hannibal wanted to throw on some clothes immediately when he caught Mason's eyes dropping low to his private areas hidden not too well by the towel.

"Although, I am truly proud of my sense of timing..." Mason leered as he laughed his annoying barking laughter.

"Mason!" Hannibal suddenly growled out louder than he'd intended.

Mason looked up at Hannibal over the rim of his glasses seductively. "That_ is _my name, Hannibal. I like the way you pronounce it; so very refined and meaningful."

Mason tilted his head a little in a flirtatious manner while he kept his eyes peering at Hannibal from above the glasses rims. Hannibal wanted to puke right on the spot. Whenever Will did such a thing as that, Hannibal really enjoyed it and found it cute. However, when Mason imitated the gesture, Hannibal wanted nothing more than to bury his fist in Mason's damn glasses and send shards of glass into the boy's eyeballs.

"Oh no need to feel so self-aware, Hannibal. We can't all have good looks, though." He raised and lowered his eyebrows rapidly in another act of a flirtatious manner, and Hannibal abruptly opened the door and moved aside to reveal the empty hallway before them.

"Out, now." Hannibal was through with playing the polite card. Mason Verger clearly was not hearing him out as he had originally hoped; refined methods would not work on this creature.

"This is not attractive at all." Mason ground out through his clenched teeth.

Hannibal turned his nose in Mason's direction, clearly portraying a look of sheer disgust for the younger boy. "Fair enough, Mason." He chopped out hastily.

"But if you're into the whole: "I-run-and-you-come-running-after-me-in-the-dark-thing, I can most _certainly_ prove to be a worthy playmate..." Mason finished, adding extra emphasis on the word 'playmate'.

"Out."

"You keep pushing me away, but I see right through this little game and masquerade, Hannibal." Mason kept urging as he walked forward but towards Hannibal rather than the doorway and out into the hallway.

Hannibal backed up a few steps, stood as tall as he could, and glared down at the slightly shorter boy. "Leave!"

Mason smiled a sweet smile, almost resembling a little angelic child in fashion. "Whatever you say, lover."

"Don't you dare ever refer to me as that!" Hannibal yelled out after him, not really caring who would hear for the moment.

"Anything you say, pumpkin." Mason turned and blew Hannibal a little kiss as he laughed and put a foot into the hallway before he turned back to face Hannibal.

"Sure you don't want me to stay and give you a backrub? I've been told I have such wonderful, talented hands-"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline that offer." Hannibal eyed the hallway and debated exiting the room himself for a few seconds. He desperately needed to get away from Mason Verger before he lost all his control and sliced the boy's throat open.

"Anything you wish." Mason said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out. He was barely a few feet out into the hallway, when he turned and looked at Hannibal with the most serious, stern expression Hannibal had ever seen him display.

"You know, animals are great. I love them with all my heart and soul," he paused and pushed his glasses up on his nose with one finger, "...but I cannot help but feel a little irate at times with them. They're fun and exciting, and we can learn a lot from them and from little glimpses into their world. But one thing they won't ever do is tell you to stop. That's where the real fun is cut off, and that's what upsets me." He grinned at Hannibal sneakily before he smiled and batted his eyelashes before walking off down the hallway and to the right and finally disappearing out of sight.

_"Out of sight, but never out of mind..."_ Hannibal thought to himself as he shut the door and locked it extra tight that night.

He padded back to his bathroom and stared at his own reflection in the mirror. The little mirror was drenched in dew and steam, and Hannibal had to run a hand through the glass surface a few times before he could properly see himself back.

He stood in front of the sink, with his lean arms gripping the sides of the sink tightly. He had no idea how to piece together what had just happened, but he decided he wasn't going to. There was no use when it came to matters as delicate as this. Only one thing could be done, and it had to be done properly and quickly as soon as possible.

Hannibal exited the damp bathroom quickly, his eyes set to stone as he walked into his bedroom and began dressing into a simple black sweater, black track pants and jogging shoes, and put on gloves.

He took one look around the bedroom and closed the door behind him gently as he headed for the front door to go out.

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"Door!" Charlie was the first to answer the rapid banging and pounding on the house's front door. Philip also walked up behind Charlie, holding two dumbbells in both arms, curling them up and down as he walked towards the door, wearing a confused expression as to what all the commotion was.

"Oh hey Hannibal." He greeted as he looked at Hannibal's dark eyes and slightly pale face.

"Woah...you ok dude?" Philip asked, setting down a dumbbell to rest next to his thigh against the side of his body.

Hannibal gave a half nod. "Will?" Was all he asked.

Both roommates exchanged glances but stepped aside to allow Hannibal inside the house. Philip whispered something in Vietnamese, but Hannibal didn't pay attention to the rude boy as he threw off his shoes hurriedly, and headed for the second floor of the house.

"Yeah he's...upstairs." Charlie said, pointing to the second floor of the house, but Hannibal already knew that and had already headed upstairs.

Hannibal raced up the stairs, two at a time, and flung open Will's bedroom door, which was already open ajar.

Will was sitting at his study desk when Hannibal had burst in, with his criminology textbook in his hands and a pen tucked over his ear resting in his hair with his glasses half-way down his nose; the boy was buried deeply in his studies.

Hannibal watched Will jump up from his seat, his glasses falling completely off his nose in the process, and the textbook sliding down to his lap.

"Hannibal!" He cried.

Hannibal kicked the door shut with the back of his leg, still facing Will with a determined expression on his face.

"You didn't call or text, is something wrong?" Will asked as he set down his book and glasses back on the surface of the desk.

Hannibal simply stared at Will without any words spoken. Will kept his eyes on Hannibal, and Hannibal decided he enjoyed Will with and without his glasses. The boy was truly a magnificent beauty.

Moments of stretched out silence were the only active things in the room, before Hannibal heard the faint pitter patter of Will's heart beat. It began out with a regular rhythm, and then it suddenly grew in pace as Will looked Hannibal up and down in front of him.

Hannibal inhaled and was taken aback slightly when he smelled Will's salty sweat ooze out from the pores of his skin and entrench itself deep within his clothes.

He suddenly took two large steps in the room across the carpeted floor, and grabbed Will's face in both his hands roughly, smashing his lips on Will's.

Will managed to gasp in shock, and the act allowed Hannibal to forcefully press his tongue past Will's lips and inside the hot wet cavern that was his mouth.

Will moaned and wrapped his arms around Hannibal, but Hannibal had other ideas set in mind and he pushed his body forward into Will's, successfully managing to slam the younger, and more thin boy against the white bedroom wall.

Will groaned in both pleasure and pain when the force of Hannibal's thick body slammed his head back into the wall behind, but Hannibal ignored the sound and began nipping at Will's tender lips with his sharp teeth.

Hannibal frowned against Will's forehead, and increased the force of his biting, feeling Will's plump lips being literally forced in between the vice-like-grip of his own large teeth. He didn't take his lips off Will's, but pushed against him harder and more roughly, trying to get more sounds out of Will.

Will pressed a hand against Hannibal's chest and gently pushed back against Hannibal. This act angered Hannibal, and he suddenly felt he could no longer contain himself. Hannibal hated rejection more than anything else in the world. Only rude people truly rejected him and his advances, and now that Will had done it, Hannibal took a few seconds before he snapped, his emotions going over-load and bubbling over like a crazy pot of stew over a stove turned to "high" temperatures.

He growled at the back of his throat, and grabbed Will's slender, delicate neck and literally threw the younger boy across the room and onto his bed with such a force that Will had heaved and gasped for air when he hit the side of the bed and rammed his hips against the wooden sideboards of the bed.

"Wah!?" He cried out unintelligibly before Hannibal bounded over to the bed and threw himself upon Will, grabbing both his hands in one of his own, and flipped them up and over Will's head onto the pillow resting on the bed.

Hannibal looked down at Will like a trapped little bird that he was hunting, and he ran a hand up and down his clean-shaven face before he leaned forward and bit at the skin not too gently, his right hand sneaking down Will's body and grabbing at his legs and hips so roughly that Will was sure he was going to leave bruise-marks the next day.

"Hannibal! What the-" Will cried, but was interrupted when Hannibal bit his neck with such an intense force that Will knew for sure he was going to have to cover his neck with a scarf all day tomorrow and probably the next.

"No!" He cried, trying to fight Hannibal off now when he sensed the situation was getting out of hand and was not what Will wanted in their relationship.

He tried squirming his legs free from under Hannibal, but the older boy was quicker than Will thought in this heated moment, and slammed his hips and legs roughly down onto Will's, making him sink deep into the mattress violently.

"Stop!" Will cried in pain when he felt Hannibal begin to tear at his black ACDC band shirt, the collar of the shirt wrapping around his soft neck like a noose.

Will jerked his head back and away from Hannibal's teeth and lips when he felt them sink into his collarbone, which earned a hiss from Hannibal and the older boy grabbed Will's neck in one strong hand and forcefully turned Will's head back to his attention and demanding lips and teeth.

"Don't!" Will nearly screamed. He didn't want to alert his roommates of what was going on upstairs in the room for two reasons: he didn't want a fight to break out between all of them and Hannibal, and he didn't want to face the embarrassment of the situation he was in.

He was literally being groped roughly and clawed at by Hannibal over him on his own bed, in his own room, in his own shared housing unit in the middle of the night. Will knew he was more than lucky that none of his three roommates were homophobic in the slightest. He hadn't exactly come out before them, but he knew they were smarter than they appeared at face value. He knew his roommates had fully caught on to the relationship he had with Hannibal whenever the older boy was over in the house and sitting too close to Will. None of them had said anything or asked strange, intrusive questions regarding their relationship, but the odd chance Philip, Charlie, or Max caught a kiss or two between Hannibal and Will, they would merely smile lightly and walk off to their own rooms or classes without bothering either boy.

As far as Will knew, only Philip was currently dating. He was dating another Vietnamese girl he had met through his Church. Charlie had recently broken up with his high school flame, and was mostly engaging in one-night stands and flings at parties and bars that he came home to afterwards and bragged about before the other boys in the house. Max as far as Will knew, was very private about his love life and never brought a girl home or never went out to meet one. The only relationship commitment he had was with the gym and working out.

But none of that mattered now that Will felt Hannibal tugging at the belt buckle on his belt that rested on the waistband of his jeans.

Will suddenly sprung back into action, and reached a leg up as high as he could with every inch of strength he had gathered, and kneed Hannibal in the back. Hannibal growled but didn't move off of Will at all. It was as if he had turned into a large boulder meant to rest on top of Will and slowly crush the life and breath out of him.

The act however had seemed to trigger something in Hannibal, for he momentarily let go of Will's belt, and snaked a hand up into Will's hair and yanked him up a little from the bed by his curly thick hair.

"NNNNGRRRR!" Will groaned through his clenched teeth as pain seared through the back of his skull and all over his body as Hannibal forced him up to sit on his lap. Will began to panic even more when he felt the hardness in between Hannibal's thighs heatedly throbbing under his weight, and he tried to move about quickly in order to move as far away from the searing heat as possible. It felt so dirty and so wrong, and Will wanted nothing more than to fly across the room and out the window.

As if he had heard and read his thoughts, Hannibal looked at Will darkly and viciously, his eyes literally appearing cold and dead. There was not a single trace of light shining or reflecting in them as it often had in the past whenever he was with Will and exchanging caring glances. It was as if a new Hannibal had entered Will's room that night and killed the other one that Will had grown to care for so much.

Hannibal leaned forward and was about to forcefully take Will's lips with his own when he stopped midway. He looked intently at Will, and nearly felt his heart drop out of his chest and onto the carpet below the bed.

Will had only one single lone tear drop from his left eye, and it rolled down his cheek and fell onto Hannibal's knee which had entrapped tightly around Will's thin body on the bed.

Hannibal's eyes immediately widened and the old shine that had often been observed within their depths was ignited and brought back right away. He gasped and wrapped his arms around Will's back and clung onto Will as if his life depended on it.

He breathed out in a half sob. "Will! Will! Forgive me!" He cried as he held the boy as tightly as he could, slightly rocking back and forth on the bed in order to cradle and comfort them both.

A cold but firm grip on his arms was the only thing that forced Hannibal to pry away from Will's body and look at him in shame and remorse. Will had pushed away from Hannibal and only gave him a neutral, empty look.

Hannibal turned away from Will immediately, feeling like the lowest form of bacterial life on the planet at the moment. What had he been about to do!? How could he even think about doing it to Will given all the time they had spent together, all the trust that had been established between them? Did any of it matter at all? Why had Hannibal lost control so easily?

All these questions racing through Hannibal's mind were soon extinguished when he felt Will push away entirely from him, but still faced him as he sat on his knees before Hannibal.

"Get out." Was all Will hissed through his teeth, his body shaking slightly.

Hannibal shook his head and tried to lean towards Will to gather him back to his chest for comfort and compassion, but the younger boy stood up from the bed quickly and faced away from Hannibal.

"Go. Now. Before. I. Call. My. Roommates." He spoke one word at a time coldly.

Hannibal gaped like a fish, opening and closing his mouth a few times before he clenched his fists at his side tightly and turned to head out the door.

The minute he had exited the room, Will burst forth and ran to his window, which faced the front parking lot of the house and driveways into the streets. He watched as Hannibal exited the house, hands shoved deeply in his pockets, head hung low as he walked into the night.

Before he disappeared completely out of view into the dark, Hannibal stopped and turned to look up at Will's window.

Will quickly frowned and pulled down his curtains. He never wanted to see Hannibal again. This act had been absolutely unforgivable and Will knew there was no going back, no going forward. Hannibal had taken everything they worked so hard together to gain and destroyed it all in a few minutes.

_"I hope it was worth it."_ Will thought to himself as he walked back to his bed, wrapping his shaking hands around his own body, crumpling into a tight fetal position on the mattress as he shook and sobbed violently all night long.

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Woah! What the hell got into Hannibal!?  
>I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and please forgive he attempted rape scene. Trust me, it took hours to write because of how difficult it was for me. I don't like rape scenes in the slightest, even if later on the characters somehow forgive each other. Rape is wrong, period, and this was a pain to write.<br>Hope I didn't offend anyone.  
>Avixi<p> 


	5. Of Witches and Ghosts

**Chapter 4**

Will hadn't told a single soul about what had happened between Hannibal and himself in his room late that dreaded night. Weeks had flown by rapidly, and with Halloween barely two days away, Will decided he was going to leave the drama and confusion that Hannibal normally brought into his life behind.

This year was going to be different for Will. He normally never went out and did anything special on Halloween, even when his grandmother had been alive to care for him, and even so when Bedelia had adopted him at a young age.

Something about dressing up in white sheets as a ghost, or dressing like a perverted vampire with slicked back hair was not really an interest to Will. He had always given out candy, however, whenever other children had come to his street trick-or-treating. Will merely enjoyed looking at their costumes for a brief moment of amusement rather than for legitimate fun, and he figured this year was going to be different.

While he was not going to go around begging for candy like the rest of the children, he was definitely going to attend a large first year student party hosted by many other first year students and guest returning alumni. Will would do anything at this point to get out of his house as often as he could, and to try and forget Hannibal.

Will had invited Miriam as well as Brian and Jimmy to the party, and all three people had happily agreed to join in.

Will was bustling about in the kitchen of the house, checking each and every cupboard carefully as he searched for the bottle of the chardonnay that Jimmy and Brian had brought him. After moments of frustrated and fruitless searching, Will gave up and rested back against the counter in the middle of the kitchen. The cold marble made him shiver and he backed off of it immediately.

Will had debated asking his roommates to join, but Charlie was going to frequent the bars around town, trying to drink himself to the limit and pick up as many young girls looking for a good time. Philip was going out with his girlfriend's nephews, so he was pretty much in and out of the house throughout the last few days, and Max seemed to be the only one in the house with Will even at this point in time.

Will hadn't asked the older boy, but he decided to give it a shot. He walked out of the kitchen and turned off the lights.

He played with his cell phone as he walked down the short hallway, flipping through his list of contacts, when he stopped at Hannibal's name on the list. Will wanted to right away throw his phone at the wall. He had been meaning to remove Hannibal as a contact on his phone, but for some reason or another, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Will didn't want to be naive, but he knew that Hannibal hadn't meant to attack him the way he did that night. Something or someone, rather, had either done or said something to turn Hannibal that demented. Will had spent a lot of time with Hannibal, and he just knew for a fact that Hannibal wasn't the type who would ever force himself on anyone at any random time.

Will and Hannibal had had ample opportunities for foreplay and sex whenever they had been alone together in the summer. If Hannibal never once attempted to attack Will back then, why would he start now? It just didn't make sense, the more Will thought about it.

He shoved his phone back in his pocket and reached Max's door; the last door on the right of the upper hallway. Max's door had a large Lamb of God poster hoisted on it, with a few little stickers displaying profanity and plenty of curse words plastered on whatever was left of the white that had once been the door.

Will reached up a shaky hand and knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" Max's voice called out muffled through the thick door.

"Hey, it's Will." Will waited patiently behind the door. Charlie had unfortunately made the mistake of entering Max's room both without knocking and without Max's permission during the last week of September, and it provided him only with a sleek swing at his chest. The bruise had lasted for days on end, but Charlie quickly learned his lesson, as did the rest of the house. No one entered Max's room without knocking, period.

After a few moments of silence, the door was opened and Max faced Will, wearing large dark purple headphones that hung over his neck with the earphones resting on either side of his neck below his ears, the music still on, however.

Will looked past Max at his room; it was a bloody mess as it always had been. "Sorry, am I bothering you or interrupting, Max?" He asked, wondering if Max had even cleaned his room once since they moved in.

"If you were, then why would I have opened the door?" Max asked, lifting an eyebrow at Will as if he had already tried his patience.

Will shrugged. "Good point."

"So what do you want, then?" Max barked as he played with the doorknob.

_"Cutting to the chase, I like it."_ Will ran a hand through his hair. "Well there's this party down at the barnyard in the little country-side road and farms not too far from here. Did you want to come along with me? I'm bringing Jimmy and Brian-you already met them-and Miriam Lass."

Max snorted. "Why would I attend a stupid first year party?"

Will only offered another shrug. Max was a second year student, and he wasn't seen socializing with anyone of his age group anyway.

"Would you rather just sit here day-after-tomorrow in your room all night long?" He asked as he looked at a pair of boxers hanging halfway off a night lamp on a night-stand next to the bed.

Max looked down and growled at the floor. "Fuck off."

"Your choice." Will turned to walk back to his room, when he heard the door creak as Max opened it more and stepped out into the doorway.

"Alright! Alright! I'll come!"

Will turned and smiled craftily at him. "I knew you'd come around."

Max scoffed. "Smart-ass."

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"Hello?"

"Hey Brian, just me, Will."

"Oh heeeeey man! Long time no talk, what's good?"

Will wanted to hang up when he found his ears were assaulted with the slang talk not even five seconds into his conversation with Brian over his cell phone.

"Well, nothing really. I can't seem to find the bottle of chardonnay you bought me when you last visited."

Brian gasped and then made a sound that resembled a burp, but it still wasn't one. "Dude! We spent so much money on that!"

"Can we head out to buy regular beer, though? Everyone is required to bring at least one food or beverage for the party tomorrow night." Will explained as he tried to ignore the hiccup frenzy Brian had started having out of the blue.

"Oh sure man! But-"

"But what?" Will interrupted. He had been planning a night out anyway, but if Zeller wanted to back out, he was going to personally kill him.

"Umm I got my license suspended for a bit..."

Will rubbed his temple and sighed, trying to keep calm. "Alright, I don't even want to ask...what about Jimmy? He drives."

A silence, and then a hiccup from the other end of the line.

"Brian." Will warned.

"Well he's out with Xanadu. And you know how they get whenever she's in town." Xanadu was the goth girl Jimmy had started dating in Baltimore State High School, and she had moved out of the house and was living in an apartment with her sister so she could work and attend a University to study biology.

"True." Will said as he tapped a finger against his aching temple gently.

"Exactly. Those two fuck like bunnies, man. Seriously, fuckin' nuts, the way they go at it."

"Brian." Will warned again, trying to put on his most serious tone of voice.

"One night after our usual game night, I'm tryin' to sleep on the couch downstairs right?"

"Brian."

"And all of a sudden, I hear Jimmy and her going at it, literally shaking the walls of the room next door so badly that dust from the wall had fallen onto my face on the couch and woke me up!"

"Brian!" Will's tone grew louder, but the other boy did not seem to want to stop anytime soon.

"I couldn't really make out what Xanadu was sayin', though, and I was listening alllllllll night long. He was fuckin' her like the safety and preservation of the world depended on it, man."

"Brian!"

"Sadly Freddy and I never got that far, though. I'm cool with being a virgin still, though! Don't judge! But let me tell you, one night alone with that mouth of hers, and she'll drive you wiiiiiiiiiiiild! Gives the best blowjobs, I'm tellin' you."

"BRIAN!" Will suddenly erupted.

Brian suddenly gasped and hiccupped one last time. "Hey! My hiccups are gone!" His smile could practically be heard and seen in his voice over the phone.

Will wanted to reach through the telephone speakers and choke the life out of him.

"Can we go to the damn store already?" He knew his tone was begging, but he didn't care. He just wanted to stop hearing about how everyone else around him was relieving their sexual frustrations in the most productive and non-threatening manner without being emotionally and mentally scarred. Not that Will was foolish, however. He knew all too well that College life was not the sex-fest the media and movies had made it out to be. But he was still hoping he would try out new things with Hannibal at least and if it ever came to giving himself to Hannibal, the act would be committed out of love and true yearning; not merely doing it just because everyone else was doing it so they could brag or show off.

"Who's gonna drive us?"Brian's question almost went unheard as Will silently mourned losing his trust and hopes in Hannibal.

Will thought about the question for a while when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw Max looking through the cupboards in the kitchen.

"I have just the person in mind now. Meet you at your place in less than fifteen." Will said and hung up before Brian could mutter out anything else scary and disgustingly embarrassing.

"God damn it!" Max cried when he opened the top cupboard above the fridge and a box of cereal fell down onto his face.

"Who the hell put _that_ there?" He asked as he rubbed his face and kicked the cereal box under the kitchen table.

"Max." Will said as he picked up the box and set it on top of the counter.

Max spun around and glared at Will. "Whatever it is, I'm not doing it. It's bad enough that I agreed to go to the dumb Halloween Party with you." He picked at his spiky dark brown hair and flicked a piece of gel into the air.

Will nodded. "Oh, ok, that's fine."

"Mhm. Gonna go work out." Max said to himself more than Will, and walked past Will towards the basement.

"Although, I thought we could definitely stop for Twinkies..." Will called out casually.

Max stopped right away in his tracks.

"Up to you, though." Will smirked internally.

Max sighed and threw on a dark grey sweater he selected from the closet in the hallway. He grabbed his car keys from inside the pocket, and pulled down the hood onto his dark hair.

"You owe me big time, Graham." He hissed lowly as he threw the front door open and walked out to unlock his car doors.

"Appreciate it, Max."

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When they had reached the driveway of Brian Zeller's small townhouse, Will told Max to wait in the car as he ran to the door and rang the bell. A disheveled Brian answered the door, and then put on his coat and shoes slowly as he turned back and yelled at his parents that he was heading out and would come home within an hour maximum.

Will pulled Brian aside gently before he could see Max sitting and waiting for them in the car.

"Yo, what's going on?" Brian asked as he shifted his eyes nervously.

Will pushed him against the side wall of the small house. "Shh. Now Max is going to be giving us a ride, Brian, and I'd appreciate it if you-"

"Holy shit why didn't you tell me before!?" Brian cried, eyes widening as he panicked and ran his hands through his hair and tried to fix his overall appearance as best as he could.

Will coughed and tried to clear his throat while trying to hide his distaste for being interrupted so crudely. "I was just going to ask you to watch what you say and think before you speak."

Brian snorted and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I always do that."

Will cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yeah!" The stubborn boy countered.

"So you're a liar too now, Brian?" Will glared.

"Ugh! Fine! I will do my best to shut my trap!" Brian said as he rolled his eyes and took a step away from the wall, but Will pushed him gently back against the bricks of the house.

"Wait," he pushed Brian back to the wall before he ran off in the direction of where the car was, "...I know you are fond of Max. So I'm telling this for your own sake, Brian."

Brian's eyes opened up so widely that Will thought they were going to grow over his entire face and forehead.

"Woah...dude...wanna tell the whole damn street about my man-crush? Jesus!" Brian hissed and looked around nervously.

"Just play it cool, and for the love of St. Peter, don't do anything stupid when we get to the mall." Will pushed Brian towards the car as soon as he had finished his little piece.

The wind seemed to guide both boys along forward as well, shaking off whatever was left of the rest of the dried, dead leaves down from their branches and onto the massive piles people had raked and collected in bags in front of their homes to be taken away. A few houses had already had pumpkins, Jack 'O Lanterns, and a few Halloween decorations such as the witches who had flown and smashed into garage doors as well as little home-made ghosts hanging from their front doors or trees swaying in the wind.

"Finally! I was freezing my ass off in here!" Max cried and shook violently when Will opened the passenger door and the back seat doors for Brian to get in.

Brian gave Will a weary glance before he ducked down and inside the back of the little black Toyota Camry that Max's father had given him before he upgraded and brought a newer car for himself.

The car lights automatically went on when the doors opened, and when Brian slid in, he froze and nearly gulped loudly when Max's green eyes met his through the rear-view mirror.

Will closed his door and watched the two boys stare at each other like two blundering fools. He resisted the urge to face-palm. He couldn't speak for Max, obviously, but he was more than fully certain that Brian had moved on from Freddy Lounds and set all his romantic hopes and dreams on Max. Max, despite his harsh, masculine exterior, seemed to be very reserved and shy. Will wasn't too sure about Max's sexual orientation, and for the time being he didn't witness a sign of a growing attraction or even admiration from Max's part, but he figured at least the two boys could become friends.

"Are you going to say 'hi', Brian?" Will asked, as if he was talking to a child rather than a seventeen year old going on eighteen in less than a month and half.

"H-h-hello." Brian said bashfully. Luckily, the car lights had dimmed down due to the doors being locked and closed properly.

The engine's low purr was the only response for a long minute, and Will was about to reach over and poke Max when the older boy spoke up.

"Hi."

Brian perked up in his seat and smiled lightly. "I'm Will's friend from High School. I was over a few weeks ago."

"Yeah you were covered in water and looked like a soaked dog."

_"Ouch."_ Will thought to himself as he watched Brian literally deflate and turn his head to look out the left window in mortification.

"Where to?" Brian asked to Will, even though he kept his eyes on Brian's reflection in the mirror.

"The mall." Will said as he made a silent wish that nothing else would go wrong for the rest of the night.

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In less than twenty minutes they had reached the mall. Will and Max walked ahead of Brian, chatting among themselves when Will turned and saw Brian looking down at his feet and practically dragging them along like a pouting, petulant child. He suddenly felt bad for the other boy and slowed down his walking pace.

"Hey Brian! Do you want to go check out some new video games first?" He asked, hoping to get the other boy to gain some interest in their night adventure.

Brian walked a little faster but acted nonchalant as Will had instructed him to earlier. "No." He answered and walked right past both Will and Max defiantly.

Will watched Max try to pretend he wasn't look at Brian and smirked a little to himself. Although Will hadn't lived with Max long enough to even know him partly, but he knew exactly when the older boy was curious, upset, amused, angry, disturbed, disgusted, and intrigued. And Max was absolutely intrigued at this moment.

He was the first to follow Brian to the front doors of the mall, and held the door open for Will as they all entered the warm mall.

Will soon temporarily took his eyes off Brian and Max and began to enjoy the various mall outlets and stores within the mall overflowing with Halloween candy, decorations, signs that read: COSTUME SALE, 75% OFF ALL KID AND TEEN COSTUMES!

Black and orange colored ribbons were winding their way along the stores as multiple teens and young children raced around trying on werewolf masks and growled at each other or put on fake vampire fangs and hissed and laughed.

The pleasant mood was contagious, and Will felt as if most of his troubles had disappeared. He just wanted to live in the present and enjoy the moment before it flew by too quickly.

He walked into store called : ALL SPIRIT HALLOWEEN, which was known to be a widely based Holiday store specifically for Halloween only.

"Hey, Will! Where are you off to?" Brian called.

Will turned and looked back at Brian, who was trying to head into the opening of a grocery store known as Hilly Farms. Max had probably convinced Brian he wanted to stock up on food and Twinkies for the upcoming winter.

Will was about to speak up, when he saw Max's curious eyes peering almost in awe at Brian's thick, dark brown curly hair.

Will was about to laugh out loud and point, but he held back and instead decided to give the two boys a little privacy to themselves. He knew all too well that certain types of people-male or female-behaved differently around friends than other groups of people they normally did not associate with on a regular basis. He wanted Brian to at least have a chance to open up and talk to Max.

"You guys go on without me, I just want to check out this Halloween store is all. Maybe grab some candy. We'll meet at the little indoor waterfall in the center of the mall in say, fifteen minutes?" Will asked, and took off his gloves as he began to feel heat and sweat building up in his hands.

"Sounds good." Max answered before Brian could open his mouth. The younger boy turned around so quickly, he had nearly thrown himself off balance.

"R-really?" He asked as he looked up at Max with hopeful eyes.

The older boy nodded, his eyes never leaving Brian's. "Sure, let's grab some beer too for the party."

That was all Will needed to hear, and he grinned like the devil as he watched Brian and Max turn around while looking only at each other, clearly engaged in a wonderful conversation as they walked on into the grocery store.

_"I'm such a sly bastard!"_ Will chuckled to himself as he began browsing the Halloween shop, admiring a shelf of household decorations such as dragon and gargoyle styled mirrors and evil garden gnomes with shiny red eyes. He peered at the bottom of the shelf and viewed a few mugs that had vampires, skeletons, and the Frankenstein monster decorated on them. He held a few up close and laughed at their silly designs.

As he walked forward into the store, he looked up and down the make-up and hair accessory isles, tempted to try on a Morticia Addams wig. He tried on a Spiderman mask and a Batman mask, looking at his own reflection in a large, vertical dragon mirror in the far back left hand side of the store.

"Terrific!" Will cried in legitimate excitement for the first time in weeks.

He gazed at himself for a few more minutes before he turned to return the mask back to its spot on the shelf. A thick lock of his own curly hair had come loose under the Batman mask however, covering his eye and momentarily shutting him in messy, confusion and darkness. Will stumbled a little over something thick and rough, and before he nearly went sailing into god-knows-what, a strong grip held him back up on his feet.

"Holy cow! Thank you!" Will huffed as he ripped off the Batman mask carefully by the ears, ready to properly thank whoever had saved him.

When the mask had come off, Will straightened his hair as best he could with his hand, and put his glasses back on. He nearly imploded when he saw he was face-to-face with Jack Crawford.

"Hello, Will."

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"What the hell are you doing here?" Will growled under his breath, his eyes growing dark and dangerous as he glared at the boy that had been the bane of his existence all throughout high school.

"I work here, not that it means much to you." Jack was wearing a goofy convict costume, with the classic black and white stripes and a matching black and white striped hat on top of his head and a little ball and chain attached to his right leg to go along with the costume. On Jack's left shit lapel was a small green name-tag that read: MY NAME IS JACK.

Will wanted to run and just get the hell out of the mall. It was bad enough that he had tried his best not to think about Hannibal for the last two and a half weeks while trying to go to classes, hand in his essay for Criminology, as well as study with Miriam and try to keep whatever bit of a measly social life he had left. The last thing he needed was running into his old arch-enemy!

"Good for you. Now kindly leave me alone." Will said sternly as he walked over to the array of masks resting on hooks embedded within the store wall and placed the Batman mask along with the other Batman style masks on the hook.

"Nice try, Will. I can go get the manager and that's all it takes. My word over yours any day."

"I thought the customer was always right?" Will muttered as he walked quickly over to a glass show-case in the middle of the Halloween store with tons of swords, knives, blades and little decorations such as rings and bracelets inside it.

Jack shook his head. "Nah, that only works in the world of fast-food joints, I'm afraid."

Will threw him a dirty look.

Jack backed away a little at the intensity of the look. "It was a joke..." He assured calmly, though he remained a few feet behind Will.

"I'm very glad you shared it with me." Will replied dully, debating whether or not to make a run for the exit at once or not.

Jack took off the goofy looking cap and sighed. "Believe it or not, I'm actually not going to push you or do anything stupid."

Will snorted. "I don't believe you."

"That's a given." Jack retorted quickly.

"Anything I can help you with, young man?" A soft feminine voice suddenly broke Will out of his angry thoughts, and he jumped from the show-case to look at the back of the store, where a tall, heavy set woman wearing a pointy black witch hat with a purple sash decorated around the brim, with the black dress and boots to match stood, smiling and smearing her blood-red lipstick all over her teeth in the process. Her green name-tag read: MY NAME IS NORA.

Jack cleared his throat, suddenly wearing a serious expression on his face and he put the cap back on over his head. "It's ok, Nora, I was just helping my old high school buddy, Will Graham here, look for some rings for his girlfriend."

Will quickly nodded, catching on immediately to the gravity of the situation, and he played along immediately. "Yeah, mostly browsing, too."

Jack's manager smiled some more and waved her black and purple striped nail polish colored fingers at Will. "Well good luck then to you, sweetheart. I'll be in the back if you have any questions or want to make a sale. Just ring the little bell on the desk!" She disappeared into the back room of the store without another word.

Jack sighed a breath of relief. "Thanks for having my back. She's a real bitch sometimes."

Will smiled lightly. "I think you mean a bitch with a capital "W"." Jack suddenly burst out in the loudest laughter Will had ever heard coming from him. Of course he had heard Jack laughing and rolling on the floors before in happiness, but to Will's ears those past cases of laughter never seemed truly genuine. This laughter he shared with Will, however, was truly genuine.

Will could see little tears coming out from the sides of Jack's eyes as he bent over and rested the palms of his hands over the black and white striped knees of his costume. He cleared his throat after a few long minutes of hearty laughter and clapped Will on the back. "I've gotta hand it to you, Will, I never laughed that hard in a long time!"

Will suddenly stopped smiling. "Well it's ok. Your manager is gone, now, and we can go back to being mortal enemies."

Jack stopped smiling at once, his mouth set to thin and firmly by his lips. "It wasn't about saving my ass! You know, the last thing I needed was you being judgemental. I've been through a lot of shit this past year, Will, I don't need more of it."

"Neither do I!" Will cried out in anger suddenly.

Jack backed away a few steps. "Woah...I'm sorry, Will...I mean I know you always had it rough, no thanks to me, but what's going on with you? You're in University now. You can start all over fresh!"

Will laughed a very strained laugh, feeling like he wanted to break each and every little item in the store. "Oh you think it's _that_ damn simple, huh? The answer is just sitting and waiting for me, is that it?" He paced back and forth impatiently, wanting to leave the store before the conversation got too personal too quickly, but for some odd reason he felt no threat at all coming from Jack. Like Max, Jack was the type of person who tried to put on the guise of being the strong, dedicated leader type in social groups and situations, when in actuality, he was influenced the most by others around him. That did not necessarily mean they were both bad people, however. They were just easily influenced, but Will knew he didn't need to worry about that now, seeing as how Tobias Budge wasn't going to miraculously appear out of thin air to bully Will along with Jack.

"You're right, perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to say," Jack began, playing with his cap as he held it in his hands, "...but look at the positives, Will. At least you weren't expelled from school and had your hopes for sports college and doing the things you actually enjoy stripped away from you. You were placed in an accelerated program and skipped a full year. You made a great friend in Hannibal, and you're well on in your way doing something that makes you happy." Jack explained wisely.

Will didn't know what to say to all that. Ninety-nine percent of it was true and he couldn't play around it. The only part that stood out and hurt him the most was the fact that Jack assumed Hannibal and Will were still close friends.

Will scratched his head and kept his eyes on the back of the store from time-to-time. "Look it's not that easy. You're right in many ways. We all had a lot of growing up to do, and I'm glad we're having this talk now as opposed to never having it in the first place."

Jack nodded and sat down on a little skeleton designed chair on the right side of the store wall. "Look, Will, we both know full well that what Tobias and I did to you in high school was absolutely wrong and uncalled for. It was bullshit, and I do not expect you to move on and forgive me any time soon. Hell, if it had been a reversed situation, I wouldn't forgive myself either. I was a bloody right prick, man."

Will raised an eyebrow. "So are you sure you're not just telling me what I want to hear right now?" He half joked. He truly didn't feel a lie or misleading motive that Jack had. He honestly felt this was a turning point in Jack's life, and he was finally learning the error of his ways.

Jack shook his head. "Will, I know you have the right to never believe me, and I've accepted that. I am willing however, to apologize for what I did to you, what Tobias did, and even Alana."

Will raised an eyebrow again this time, but it was to show that he was impressed in a positive way with what Jack was saying.

"I know we can't really start "fresh" either, but can we maybe try to be friends? Only if you want it, though." Jack looked up at Will for a long time.

Will tried to spot signs of wavering or a lie, but Jack kept his eyes strongly and firmly on Will's, and didn't even blink.

Will finally let out a sigh. "It's worth trying."

Jack nodded. "That's the biggest lesson I learned after all the crap I went through, Will. Getting angry at someone is easy; but forgiving them and trying to help them so they can help themselves? Now that's the challenge."

Will straightened his posture. "What do you mean?"

Jack finally stood. "I'm talking about second chances, Will. I think everyone deserves them. Of course, certain acts are absolutely unforgivable, but if you know that the other person is not truly an evil person deep down inside, then I say give them a second chance. Life is a living hell as it is, and we're all alone in it. But if you try to find someone who is like you-and that is hard enough, trust me-then why throw that aside so easily? Why not make the effort and go against your grain and natural order to try and make something work?"

Will couldn't believe he was unconsciously receiving relationship advice from Jack Crawford. If anyone had asked him years ago to approach Jack and speak about anything at all, Will would have laughed in their face. But now, he found he was actually listening fully to Jack, and taking in everything the boy was saying.

"I'm not saying you have to be a fool and fall for everything and excuse bad behaviour if it is repeated and no one has learned their lesson. I'm saying that part of being a good person to yourself and to others is knowing when to say "yes", and knowing when to say "no". You decide when, though."

Will walked closely to Jack and looked intently at the other boy. "Jack, you have no idea how much you just helped me."

Jack shrugged. "Another person would have said I was pulling all that out of my ass!"

Both boys laughed loudly, but when Nora cleared her throat from the back room, Jack's expression became a mixture of worried and serious.

"Shit, I better get back to work, Will. I still have an hour left of my shift." Jack backed away a little bit, keeping an eye out and open for customers to walk in.

Will nodded and straightened his coat and pulled out his gloves from the pocket. "Hey is it ok if I add you on Facebook or something? I never really go online, but I'd like us to chat whenever we can and I'm kind of behind on paying my cell phone bills, so you'd be best to reach me online."

Jack smiled. "Hey it's no problem, Will. You can add me whenever you feel you want to chat."

Will waved before he headed for the opening of the store. "Will!" Jack's voice at his back suddenly made him turn and face the other boy quickly.

"Best of luck, man." Jack said in a loud, clear voice before he turned back and headed for the cashier's desk in the small store.

"You too." Will called back before he turned and headed to the right of the mall's large hallway, heading for the center of the mall with the indoor waterfall as quickly as his legs could carry him. He was already more than five minutes late to meet up with Brian and Max.

The colours of the customers and Halloween decorations buzzed past him in a horrendous rainbow from another world as Will sped up the pace so he could catch both boys in the middle of the mall.

When Will had arrived, he was happy to see that the large statue standing in the middle of the waterfall still had water pouring out of its hands. It was a tall, thin woman with short wavy hair, and her hands were holding up flowers that water poured out of in a beautiful downward stream. Tons of children and couples would often sit around the pool the statue stood in the middle of, and toss loose change in the water for fun.

Normally the mall turned off the water display around this time of night, but Will thought that due to the excitement of the Halloween season and in order to attract more customers, the mall had left it on for show.

Will was about to look down at his watch for the time, when he looked to his right and caught Brian and Max sitting side-by-side on a small metal bench in front of the decor bushes and indoor trees that surrounded the back of the waterfall and statue beautifully.

He wanted to take off his glasses, clean them, put them on, squint, and clean his glasses after pinching himself a few times before he finally registered that Brian and Max were sitting and laughing together as comfortably as ever. It was almost as if the two boys had known each other all their lives. He couldn't believe how comfortable they were with each other.

Will snuck forward a little closely, keeping his ears trained hard on the two boys on the bench as he walked with caution so he didn't make a sound.

"After exams it's usually not so hectic. I mean everyone is cramming during the reading week anyway, so by the time exams come in, everyone's getting their immune system shot to shit and it's suddenly flu season all over again." Max explained calmly as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shiny silver dime and toyed with it in his hands.

"It makes sense, because the body is doing its best to keep you healthy and strong so you can reserve that energy and prepare for exams and then give those said exams successfully before the body goes back to un-hectic mode." Brian explained back as he watched Max fiddle with the dime.

"Exactly." Max said, and he raised his arm in the air to throw the dime into the water as tradition practically begged, when Brian lifted his own hand and placed it on Brian's hand to stop him gently.

"What?" Max asked gently, and turned to look at Max with an amused and happy expression on his face.

"This is going to sound silly, but can we toss it in together?" Brian asked, hiding his face away from Max's in bashfulness.

Will had never seen Brian behave this way, even when he was with Freddy. Will thought he could have been wrong, but in his own personal opinion, Freddy's relationship with Brian had been nothing more than a silly teenaged experiment. This however, seemed to be a more romantic and spiritual awakening for Brian. Will had observed Brian and Freddy do silly things together such as share ice-cream or buy each other coffee and donuts, but this act of tossing in the silver dime in the water together blew Will away with such happiness for his two friends.

Max smiled a dopey smile Will had never seen him smile as he nodded. He leaned in closer to Brian still wearing the dopey smile on his face. "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

As Will watched on with his mouth half-open in shock, Max grabbed Brian's hand in his own gently, stroking the skin for a long time before he took the dime and placed it in Brian's open palm carefully. He then took his own hand and placed it directly under Brian's as he held the dime, and on a silent, connected internal count to three, he guided Brian's arm to toss the dime high and perfectly into the air and they watched it together as it dove into the water near the base of the statue.

Will wanted to jump up and squeal like Bedelia had back when he had graduated and taken his picture with Hannibal...Hannibal!

Will suddenly felt a little saddened, and he looked away from the two boys on the bench to gaze around the mall. He hadn't noticed it before, but there were an awful large number of couples in the mall tonight. Will watched an elderly couple walk together, with their grandchildren laughing in front of them as they chased each other wearing little shoes with heels that lit up as light bounded everywhere on the floor. Near a gazebo towards the right of the bushes and trees near the waterfall, a younger heterosexual couple sat and made out passionately with their arms around each other.

Will couldn't take it; he needed to see Hannibal at once. He raced forward and pulled out his cell phone, pretending he was texting instead of watching Brian and Max growing closer and sharing their little moment tossing the coin into the water.

"Will!" Brian cried, gasping and straightening his composure, though he did not get off the bench.

Will looked up. "Oh hey! Guys, sorry I was late, I ran into a few people from high school."

"That's pretty sweet." Brian said.

Will wanted to gasp out loud. Normally Brian would have gotten all upbeat and asked until the end of time "Who did you see?!" as he bounced around excitedly, but the fact that he hadn't meant that something or someone else had captured his attention...Will wondered who it was.

"Yeah, so did you guys get the beer and Twinkies?" Will asked.

"Yep, check and check!" Max grabbed the case of beer resting by the side of the bench with a little bag of Twinkies on top of the case and smiled proudly.

Will nodded. "Let's go."

He could have sworn he heard both Max and Brian sigh in distaste.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will knocked on Hannibal's door impatiently. He stood back after trying to peer into the peephole in the door, but all he saw was a dark home. He had tried calling Hannibal, but he must have turned his phone off, for it didn't even go to his voice mail.

"Come on..." Will hissed through his teeth as he knocked for the fiftieth time.

"Hannibal! I need to talk to you!" Will called as clearly as he could.

_"Where is he?!"_

He suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and heard his neck emit a little "click" due to the force he had used to turn his neck so suddenly in fear of the sudden footsteps approaching.

He saw two circular gleaming light reflections in the dark hallway before the figure stepped under the lights of the front door.

"Good evening, fellow human." Mason's nasal voice touched Will's ears, and caused the younger boy to shudder from a brief moment before he stood up tall and glowered at Mason. "

You. What do_ you_ want? Go to bed!" He ordered as he felt the tension and jealousy rise within him. It seemed as if lately wherever he went, Mason was always lingering by, observing him. Will didn't want to know what reasons the boy had for this odd behaviour and frankly, he didn't care; he just wanted Mason to go away and act like a normal human being for once.

"I'm sorry to inform you of this depressing piece of news, but Hannibal isn't home." Mason looked down at his fingernails, his dirty blonde eyebrows set tightly on his forehead as if he was concentrating on solving the most difficult math question.

"I figured that out on my own, but thank you for lending me your expertise, Mason." Will said sarcastically as he reached into his book bag that hung over the right side of his body and pulled out a little notebook and pen.

"No, I mean he hasn't been home all day today." Mason whispered, eyes still on his fingernails.

Will glared at Mason, but started writing in the notebook immediately. "Alright then."

Mason lowered his hand and smiled at Will, though his left eye twitched a few times. "Would you like to come inside my room and wait for him? I'm sure he'll be home before you know it."

Will kept writing. "No."

Mason snickered and put on his best show-man voice. "Is that your final answer, young Mr. Graham?"

Will didn't move a muscle. Only the light scratch of the pen on the paper was heard for stretched out moments of time. Finally Will put his pen back to rest on his ear.

"Good night, Mason." He put the pen in his schoolbag but kept his eyes and sight off of Mason. He wanted to have dreams tonight; not horrible nightmares.

"Too bad; I'd really enjoy your time and company..." Mason said as he opened his door and walked inside the room. He paused and watched Will for a few seconds before he closed and locked the door.

Will finished writing, and looked down at his note for Hannibal.

**Hannibal, we need to talk. I have taken a lot of time to think for myself, and I want us to pull through together through every hurdle and obstacle we find in our way. The path won't always be clear and obvious, but having you in my life is the path in and of itself. I don't want to deviate from that. I need you in my life, and I am ready to talk calmly with you whenever you are free. **  
><strong>I still care for you from the bottom of my heart, and I doubt it will ever change.<strong>  
><strong>Will.<strong>

He smiled a half smile and leaned down to rest on his knees as he slid he note under the door carefully. He stood and looked at the door for a few seconds before he turned and walked down the hall towards an elevator.

He closed his eyes and sighed when the doors opened, and he stepped inside and got ready to head home and to bed.

Once Will's elevator door had closed, the only sound in the empty hallway was the buzzing of the vents and heaters. Then, as if on a cue, a small "click!" was heard, followed by the groaning of door hinges.

Mason Verger slowly opened his dorm room door, and poked his head out into the hallway, facing Hannibal's door.

He opened his mouth, chewing bubble-gum and blew air into the gum and giggled when it filled with air and let out a small "Pop!" once it could not contain any more air.

Mason crept out mischievously into the hallway, swinging his hands back and forth playfully. He leaned down, resting on the balls of his feet, and then gently lowered his chest and stomach to rest on the floor. He peered into the room through the space resting at the bottom of the door between the floor and the door itself, and he took in a deep breath.

"Hmmmm cozy home sweet home." He murmured to himself.

He blew his bubble-gum once more, and then popped it. He took one last peek into the hallway around him, and when convinced no one was around or approaching, he took out his bubble-gum from his mouth, playing with it as if it were play-dough for a few seconds before he rolled it between his thumb and index finger. Mason rolled and rolled the gum until it became a tight, medium sized ball.

He then rolled the little gum ball forward and under the door, his eyes set on the note that was resting on the clean wooden floor of the room. He squinted and grunted a little, smashing his glasses against the bottom of the door as he struggled to guide the gum ball with his fingers so it would land on the note paper.

After a few seconds, the gum ball latched onto the note.

"Gotcha." Mason hissed, and he withdrew his fingers from the crack under the door carefully and slowly. The gum-ball stopped at the edge of the bottom of the door, but Mason was able to slide the paper out from under the gum-ball carefully anyway. He pressed his cheek against the door as tightly and closely as he could, as his fingers felt around for the gum-ball. He grabbed it within seconds and pulled it out from under the door as well.

He sighed and cheered internally as he held up the paper to the light in the hallway. He leapt to his feet and laughed and took a bow in the direction that Will had left in.

"Clever strategy, but not on my watch, Willy boy." He cheered and danced towards his own room before ripping the little note into shreds and tossing it into his garbage can as he danced and shut the door with his feet foxily, finally encasing the hallway in complete darkness.

Only Mason's faint giggles were heard through the other side of the door all night long straight through until the early light of morning shone through the hallway windows.

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**Notes:**

Mason, you piece of human filth. You big pile of excrement!  
>Don't kill me for the cliff hanger. Seriously.<p>

Avixi

P.S. Brian and Max make such a sweet couple, no? Teehee.


	6. All Hallow's Eve

**Chapter 5**

**WARNING: ATTEMPTED RAPE ONCE AGAIN, VULGAR AND DISTURBING LANGUAGE TOO!**

It was Friday morning and Halloween. Will knew that the day that lead into the weekend and the world's most annoying holiday combined into one was never the best combination to face; especially if you were young.

All day throughout the day, Will had walked past many vampires, ghouls, goblins, werewolves, Anime characters, game characters, and Slasher Villain characters around campus. A few Freddy Kruegers ran around campus, waving their home-made sharp gloved claws at people, while a few Pinheads and Jason Voorhees students took photos and modeled with other dressed-up students.

In Will's one o'clock to three o'clock Criminology class, the professor could barely contain the rising tension and excitement in the classroom. A few girls dressed up like the Devil, wearing long bright red thigh-high boots with devil horns and blood red nail polish and lipstick pranced around flirting with everyone in the room practically, while a student dressed as Ghost-Face from "Scream" would sneak behind rows of desks and seats and pop up from behind them and scared the shit out of various students who tried to take notes and do their work.

Eventually, the professor, named Dr. Pembry, had had enough of the silly acts, and let out the class a good half hour early. Will texted Miriam immediately so they could meet up and have a quick late lunch before getting ready at Will's house with Max before they could go pick up Brian and Jimmy for the party tonight.

**I'm at the parking lot already. Shouldn't be too difficult to spot me. I'm not wearing a costume. Probably the only one on campus. -Will**

He sighed as he slung his bag and cover over his shoulders and leaned against a wall watching students throw candy at each other as they laughed and screamed, chasing each other around their cars and just causing an over-all riot.

Will's phone soon buzzed back.

**I see you. You're going as a high school student this year? Lol-Miriam**

Will frowned slightly. He wasn't one to ever use slang terms in texts and chats such as "lol" or "lmao", and he wasn't expecting Miriam to do the same thing.

**I don't see you. What's this creeper thing you got going on?-Will**

He texted back quickly before a strong wind settled down and literally bit at his fingertips. Will shivered and shoved his phone in his coat pocket. How much longer was Miriam going to take?

Will knew she was bringing her costume to school today to work on it in between classes. She wouldn't tell him what she was going to go as, and he only asked twice. He knew it was a lost cause trying to convince her to let him in on the secret, and he was about ready to implode from all the anticipation.

**Taaaadddaaaa!** He looked up with confused eyes when the text was sent. Will's vision suddenly went entirely black. He screamed as his head slammed back against the brick wall of the University, trying to catch his glasses as they slid off his nose from the sudden, heavy impact upon the hard brick wall.

When he had readjusted his glasses, Will looked up and his jaw dropped open. Before him stood a Catwoman! Well, it was technically Miriam Lass dressed up as Catwoman from the new Arkham City Batman game.

Miriam had lovely, sexy thigh high black laced boots, with black tight spandex wrapped tightly around her body, with a cute cat mask and yellow-green goggles pushed down to cover her eyes. She even had the whip to go along with the entire costume, and it loosely wrapped itself around her waistline.

"Meeeeooooorrrwwww!" She purred out seductively, and raised her left hand, which had false-but-home-made-cat claws, and she playfully swiped at Will's chest.

"What the-?"

"Amazing, isn't it?" She lifted the goggles from her eyes to reveal heavy black make-up around her eyes.

"Miriam, you look fantastic!" Will cried, admiring the entire costume bit-by-bit.

"I know! I worked on it all last night and I wanted to surprise you!" She pranced around on her tip toes happily.

Will nodded in approval. "You certainly have!"

Miriam stopped prancing about. "What time is it? I think we should head over and start getting ready!" The excitement was far too evident in her voice and it made Will smile.

Will was about to check his phone for the time, when a hand slammed down on his shoulder. Will didn't cry out, but he leapt away from the hand quickly, hands turning back to protect himself.

"Woah! Easy there tiger!" Will and Miriam both let out a sigh of disappointment as they faced a costume-less Mason Verger.

Mason stood with his shoulders slightly hunched, his usual bed-hair messily about his forehead, glasses slightly fogged due to the damp, colder weather. He was wearing his Nazi-like thick heavy coat, with black leather gloves covering his hands. He looked Will up and down, and then Miriam.

"H-h-hi...Mason." Miriam said slowly, trying to look anywhere but in Mason's direction.

"Cat got your tongue?" Mason said, as he turned to the silent, gaping Will.

"Oh ha-damn-hardy-ha." Will said, after finally finding the strength of his vocal cords and commanded them to open up.

"Life of the party, I know." Mason showed his white teeth and snickered.

Miriam shifted behind Will uncomfortably, and then poked him in the back with a finger.

"Oh, uh, we better get going, Mason. I promised Miriam lunch and then we're heading to a Halloween party."

Will wanted to slam his head into a brick wall as soon as he said that. He hadn't meant to give away where they were going to Mason; it honestly had just slipped out. He was truly regretting it when Mason winked slowly at Will.

"Sounds like a plan and a half! Hey, why don't you both come with me? I'll buy you lunch. My treat!" He pushed his glasses up with his thumb awkwardly.

Will shook his head. "N-n-no thanks, Mason." He tried backing away, but bumped into Miriam, who yelped in reply to his heavy weight being placed on her boot.

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much!" Mason barked out in his annoying, cringe-worthy laugh. He pulled out his car keys from his jacket, and pressed them. A loud "CLICK! CLICK!" echoed throughout the now empty parking lot, as Mason's silver 2014 Toyota Prius unlocked its doors for them.

Mason bowed and gestured towards the car. "I escort thee, fair guests, to my horse and cart." He laughed again, snorting disgustingly as he wiped saliva from his lips.

Will looked back at Miriam, who gave him a look that said: "We don't have any other choice."

They both hung their heads low, as they walked towards the car. Will was about to open the back doors of the car, when Mason raced ahead and blocked him.

"Ah-ah-ah, Will, you should know that ladies go first..." He smiled at Miriam while he waved his finger mockingly at Will, and opened the door for her. She quickly complied, sliding into the backseats, her cat ears the only things barely visible behind the darkly tinted glass.

Mason walked to the passenger car door and opened it, waving his hand in a chivalrous manner. "Will." He muttered as he waited for Will to slide in the seat.

Will gave Mason the best dirty look he could muster up, and sat down, throwing his schoolbag almost violently at the bottom of the car in front of his feet.

Mason gracefully and gently closed the door behind Will. But before he made his way over to the driver's side, he bent down and waved at Will from the other side of the window almost in a taunting manner.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hannibal's rented apartment door opened up, and a very exhausted Hannibal stepped in, taking off his shoes slowly. He closed the door behind him and made his way over to his answering machine, and pressed the button.

**"You have three new messages!"** The voice almost merrily sang out.

Hannibal walked into his small kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He felt absolutely parched, even though he had had two proper meals during his work day earlier today. It simply had been yet another busy day at the hospital; Hannibal had been running around all day practically, running errands for others and trying to keep as alert as possible. He feared it would only get worse as the days grew darker and colder. It would be flu season soon, which meant he'd have to definitely work over-time.

**"Good evening, Hannibal, it's Dr. Paun calling. I just wanted to let you know I have organized your new schedule for next week already, and I have left it with the receptionist at the front desk. Pick it up whenever you like, take care and enjoy your weekend."**

The machine beeped loudly once the message was heard. Hannibal finished his glass of water, and then began to rinse it carefully and delicately. He felt a little uneasy, as he had been expecting a message from Will. He knew what he had done to the boy was absolutely horrendous and cruel, but he wanted to explain himself properly to Will. Hannibal was always in favour of discussion, and he wanted to tell Will what had transpired between himself and Mason Verger without it sounding nearly as odd and atrocious as possible. Hannibal was very well aware that Will was more sensitive and delicate than he wanted to let on, and he knew he would have to frame the topic very carefully. He had taken his time to think it through, and nearly had a well-planned explanation before his cell phone had died. Hannibal tried to fix the battery of the device, and mentally cursed himself for not giving Will his home phone number instead just in case. But it was too late anyway and he wanted Will to also have enough time to himself and his studies before things got too complicated.

**"Hello, Hannibal Lecter. Are you tired of those pesky, annoying Internet ads that seem to pop up no matter how many times you click out of them and try to cancel them? We, here at Google-"** Hannibal growled and slammed his finger on the "NEXT" button. He had no patience or energy to hear about spammers and zombie bots calling him for more money as they promised false services.

The machine beeped for the last message.

**"Hannibal, darling, why won't you answer my calls? I'm getting so chilly and lonely without you at nights...you keep rejecting me, and this cat-and-mouse game cannot go on forever. There's a party tonight, an All Hallow's Eve party at the Milton farm located just West of the University Campus, should be roughly a thirty-five minute drive from your apartment, so why don't we just relax, kick back, have some laughs, and chat over some drinks? I hear Will Graham will be attending the party too...see you there, do not disappoint me. Raaawwwrrrr."** Mason's bizarre message and its implications went unheard as soon as Hannibal heard that Will would be attending the party. Knowing that Mason never lied about these manner of topics, Hannibal threw on his coat, and gathered his car key hurriedly as he headed over to his front door.

He had his hand on the doorknob, when he closed his eyes and frowned tightly. Something really didn't smell right...he inhaled deeply. He smelled someone else...he bent down quickly on the balls of his feet, and sniffed at the door, the carpet, and finally rested down on to the carpet. He felt around, eyes still closed.

He suddenly pictured someone bent down onto the floor on the other side of the door. Their scent flowed out of their body, and smothered itself all around his door and mixed into the air that got sucked into his apartment by the vents. Mason Verger! What had Mason been doing on the floor in front of his door?

Hannibal knew this was all the more reason to head to the party. He stood up abruptly, and threw open the door, locking it hurriedly behind him as he headed for the elevator, fire practically burning in his eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dining with Mason Verger had been a quick, but nonetheless an awkward moment. Mason had bought Will and Miriam some expensive, but delicious chicken curry from what he claimed was his favourite Indian restaurant not too far away from Will's shared house. They all munched on their meals awkwardly in the car as Mason sipped some orange juice.

"Those spices always burn me to the very bone, but well worth it!" He laughed happily as he drove slowly down the streets.

Will looked in his rear-view mirror and saw that Miriam had her phone out and was texting. He wanted to know who she was texting so badly that she wouldn't participate in the conversation or keep her eyes out for him as Mason leaned in his seat a little close to Will.

"Yes...thanks, Mason." Will offered as he tried to move closer to the window and away from Mason's piercing gaze. Mason was still able to drive perfectly, his hands on the wheel despite his body posture leaning towards Will.

Mason looked deeply at Will, his eyes following his every move with purpose.

"Eyes on the road, Mason!" Will hissed as he turned and looked out his side of the window fearfully. Why did Mason have to be such a creep?

"Sorry Will, but I was going to inquire where your little friends live so we can pick them up for the party!"

Will was about to protest, but Miriam called from the back of the car: "They live roughly fifteen minutes from here! They're both waiting for Will and Max at Brian Zeller's house!"

Will turned and glared at her. "Miriam!"

"Thanks darling." Mason winked at her again and drove on forward. "Address, Will?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was nearly five o'clock by the time Mason had picked up Brian Zeller and Jimmy Price. Miriam had raced inside Brian's house to collect both boys, while Mason and Will waited in the car together. Mason hadn't said a word to Will, to Will's shock and amazement. He only watched him out of the corner of his eyes like a hawk ready to attack a defenseless field mouse.

The drive back to Will's house had been even more silent. Brian had tried to crack a few jokes, but no one in the car laughed with true joy and happiness. Miriam broke out into a weary half-smile, while Jimmy tried to silence his friend, throwing him odd looks as they sat in the back seat with Miriam.

Once they had pulled in the driveway of the house, they found a very worried-looking Max sitting on the front door steps. Max was wearing a pirate shirt with the trade-mark skull and crossbones on the front, with a black eye patch covering his left eye. He wore tattered jeans and black All Star shoes. He stood up when the car parked and Brian immediately popped out from the back seat.

"Hey! Where were you?! I thought I was supposed to get you?" He held out a hand before Brian, but quickly placed his hand back down to his side once he saw Will, Miriam, Jimmy, and Mason exit the car.

Brian gave him an apologetic glance. He was about to speak, when Mason proudly marched over with his arm outstretched, still covered with his black leather glove. "Mason Verger at your service!"

"Errr, Max Flannigan." Max shook Mason's gloved had quickly, and drew himself closer to Brian.

Jimmy and Miriam exchanged nervous glances as Will mouthed "Sorry" to Max.

"So umm, how are we gonna do this?" Jimmy piped up.

Max stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared blankly at Mason, clearly objecting to the boy's presence. "Well I don't mind taking a few people in my car. Don't want to give Mason trouble."

"Oh it's no-"

"I'm going with Max!" Brian interrupted Mason's reply as he quickly ran behind Max and hid himself from view.

Max nodded. "Works for me." Max stood proudly and tall before Mason, the posture alone threatening enough. It was as if Max was saying that he wanted Mason to stay as far away from both himself and Brian as much as possible.

Mason seemed to have taken the hint, for he turned to the rest of the students around him. "Everyone else, hop on board!" He rubbed his hands together cheerfully.

"Let's just have a moment to gather ourselves, Mason." Will glared as he took off his coat and schoolbag.

"Yeah man, the party starts at six. It's only five-forty now. We can be a little late, it's all good." Jimmy said as he followed Will into the house.

Miriam's high heel boots clicked behind them as well as she took off her cat mask and sighed. He hair was done up in a tight, neat bun this time. She wore bright red lipstick that Will had somehow failed to notice. "I need a drink." She headed for the kitchen quickly, shaking her head back and forth.

Will wanted to apologize to her and to everyone else, but he felt there was no need; the damage was already being done. Mason refused to leave, and while Will was grateful for the food and the rides, he just didn't wish to associate with Mason Verger any further. Everything Mason did seemed very forced, and not at all genuine and out of the kindness of his heart. He also seemed to give off the vibes that if anyone disobeyed him or disagreed with him, they would suffer immensely and immediately be pegged as an enemy. Will didn't need any more enemies or drama, so he decided to co-operate for the time being. He just hoped Mason would soon grow bored of this game and leave them all alone after the party.

"Where's the beer?" Will asked Max as the older dark haired boy sat next to Brian at the kitchen table.

Max sighed. "Already packed in the trunk of my car, relax." He ran a hand through his hair today, as it was not held up in spikes, and not gelled like it normally was. Will thought Max looked younger and even more gentle without that gel shit in his hair. He looked more calm and more approachable just as he was.

"Awww, not willing to share?" Mason rudely interrupted as he took off his coat and threw it down onto a chair and sat down next to the boys, kicking his booted feet up onto the kitchen table.

"Hey! We eat here!" Max growled as he shoved Mason's feet off the tabletop.

Mason snickered. "Should have said so earlier."

Max was about to stand up, when Brian held out a calm hand in front of him before he dove forward for Mason. Brian looked up pleadingly at Max, while Mason on the other hand, threw him a look that said: "Do it, I dare you."

Max sat back down in his seat next to Brian and sighed wearily. Mason's eyes seemed to shine fiendishly as he continued to snicker. "Atta boy." He whispered.

Miriam's heels clicked back towards the table. "I want to get out of here. It's five to six." She said as she looked intently at Will rather than Mason. She held her cat whip limply in her hand and put her cat mask back on with the goggles covering her eyes, on purpose for sure.

"Yeah it's getting dark and I don't want to drive all the time in the dark." Max muttered as he stood up with Brian next to him as if attached to him by an invisible string.

"Shame. I was hoping for a tour around your lovely home." Mason stated sarcastically.

Max glared. "Oh you want a tour, rich boy? Well fine." He gestured with his arms dramatically. "This is where we eat, the next room is where we chill and pay video games or watch TV, and upstairs is where we sleep in our rooms, separately," his voice grew louder and louder with each passing breath, "...the basement is where I work out and sometimes jack off whenever I am lonely and frustrated!"

"Max!" Will warned, as he stood in front of the older, stronger boy.

Brian and Miriam both blushed heavily at Max's words, while Jimmy simply held his face in his hands as he stood behind the kitchen counter silently.

Max was on a roll, however, and didn't seem to want to stop his rant any time soon. "Would you like to see the bathrooms too? I have tons of porno mags in there too. Anything to pass the time!"

Mason raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he looked back and forth at Brian and Max. "Gay porn?"

Max was livid at this point. He lunged forward at Mason, hands outstretched dangerously.

"Max, don't!" Brian and Will both cried out in unison, Will stepping in front of Max to block the sudden attack, while Brian grabbed onto the back of Max's shirt and pulled him back.

"You son of a bitch!" Max hissed out through his clenched teeth, but calmed himself down immediately.

"It's not worth it." Will warned as he stood like a brick wall between Max and Mason.

Miriam suddenly spoke up as she headed for the front door. "I'm leaving, now. If anyone wants to join me and head to the party, you're welcome to do so. But I'm not staying here and getting in trouble because of a fight breaking out." She opened the front door of the house and headed down the front door steps.

"I'm leaving too." Jimmy announced as he followed her quickly, with his head held down.

Brian tugged on Max's shirt. "Let's go." He whispered into the other boy's ear.

Mason grinned. "I'd listen to your boyfriend." He giggled in Max's direction.

Max was about to open his mouth and retort back, when Will held up a hand.

"He's doing this to get a rise of out of you, Max! Stop playing into his hand!"

Mason gasped at Will and looked at him in mock innocence. "Now why would I do such a thing, Will? I'm just playing nicely."

Max glared but spoke anyway. "Whether he's trying to get a rise out of me or not is besides the point."

Mason stood from his seat at the table finally, and smiled at Max. "Then what _is_ the point? Enlighten me..." He straightened his shirt and pants, appearing to be bored.

Max smiled back slowly. He turned to Brian and looked at him for a long time in silence. Then, without warning, Max grabbed the back of Brian's head, and pulled him close and captured his lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Brian gasped and pushed against Max's chest for a minute, before he closed his eyes and kissed the bigger boy back.

Will opened his mouth in shock, while Mason simply glared behind his glasses.

Max ran his hands down Brian's body, continuing the kiss in spite of the two other boys. It was as if all of Brian and Max's pent-up frustrations were being let out at this moment, and neither boy seemed to want to stop the passionate embrace.

"Are you guys coming ye-oh..." Jimmy had walked back into the house and into the kitchen, and he suddenly blushed at the romantic display Will and Mason were observing.

Max squeezed Brian's ass briefly before letting the other boy go and smirking back at the trio in the kitchen.

"Do you guys need a few more minutes?" Jimmy said as he rolled his eyes. "I'm happy for you, but can we continue this later?" He added as he folded his arms over his chest.

Both Max and Brian ignored Jimmy, Brian staring up at Max with stars and hearts practically in his eyes, and Max grinning at Mason like he had won their challenge. He walked over to Mason, and stood proudly, his chest puffed out as he used his height to his advantage.

_"That_, was the point." With that said, he grabbed Brian's hand and dragged him out of the kitchen and out of the house without even glancing once at Mason or Will.

Jimmy shrugged at Mason and Will, and walked back out of the house without a word.

Mason continued to stare out the door into the night, when Will suddenly threw his jacket over at him. "Drive."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hannibal stood in line angrily at the gas station, cursing inwardly as his car had run out of gas halfway through his trip towards the farm. He knew he was going to be late for the party, and he was praying he wouldn't miss Will tonight. It was now or never.

Ahead of him, an obese man held a small cart in his hands as he slowly pulled out his items one-by-one and placed them on the desk before the cashier. He was barely through one third of his cart, which was filled to the brim with chips, soda, crackers, frozen pizza, ice-cream, pop tarts, and numerous other high-calorie foods.

Hannibal looked down at his watch and hissed. It was already ten past six. At this rate, he wouldn't be out of the store until six thirty, as a few other people were in line head of him behind the obese man.

Hannibal rolled his eyes and stood out of line and raced up to the cashier.

"Hey!" The obese man cried in protest, trying to move his items out of Hannibal's way, as if the other boy was going to steal them or consume them.

Hannibal looked at him with a stern expression, and the man was silent right away. "I beg your pardon, sir, but this is an emergency."

He looked at the confused cashier. "Pump number four, here's fifty dollars, don't even bother with the change." He threw two twenties and one ten dollar bill in front of the cashier and left the gas station without another word, dodging the confused and half angry glances from the other customers in line.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max and Brian helped carry the heavy case of beer inside the barn as soon as they had found a parking spot in the large car lot close to the farm.

Mason parked close to Max's car, and followed Will, Miriam, and Jimmy into the barn. Once inside, the gang looked up to see tons of skeletons, ghosts, and other well decorated monsters hoisted high up on the ceiling and in the rafters of the barn. Shiny, glittery green, black, orange, and purple ribbons weaved their way around the barn. The lights had been dimmed, but shades of orange and red caused by light toners shone around the barn, outlining the dancing bodies of students littered all around the barn.

At the front of the barn in between large haystacks piled nearly to the roof of the barn, was a long rectangular table. On the table were hoards of snacks, alcoholic beverages, and to the far right side a DJ who was dressed like the Creature from the Black Lagoon costume. He ran his webbed hands over the stereo system and head banged to the beat of the Metallica song "Ain't My Bitch".

All around the barn were little Halloween games and activities going around, such as bob for apples, pin the knife on the blonde cheerleader, darts, Twister, and balloon animal making. Will watched his group of friends (save Mason Verger) scatter around the barn.

Jimmy walked over to the large barrel of water on the left side of the barn away from the dancing crowd as he watched a few young girls dressed as Sailor Moon characters bob for apples happily as they giggled and jumped around with the music beat.

Brian and Max headed over to the bar located near the front of the barn and sat down on stools as they gathered drinks and chatted among themselves, while Miriam soon found a Joker and Harley Quinn costumed couple to dance and chat with in the center of the barn on the dance floor.

It was just Will and Mason left. Will looked up at the top of the haystacks, where a few male students without costumes sat, aiming the bright white lights to the center of the dance floor as the large crowd danced upon. The light beams lit their way as they danced about happy, having the time of their lives.

Will wanted to join in and do the same, but he couldn't while Mason was breathing down his neck, practically.

"Care for a dance?" Mason asked Will in a sultry tone of voice. Will shook his head.

"Not in a million years, Mason. Go do something else and quit following me!" He hissed behind him as he walked over to a medium sized haystack and admired a few large Jack' O Lanterns that sat at the bottom of the haystack.

"Oooh, I like your orders, Will. Very forward." Mason flirted lightly, but kept following Will.

Will growled under his breath, but didn't say anything as he sat down next to a murderous looking Jack' O Lantern.

Mason sat down next to him, folding his gloved hands in his lap as he crossed his legs. "Wish I dressed up."

_"You don't need to dress up, Mason, you perfectly fit the profile of a homicidal nut-case as it is."_

"Woah, look at Romeo One and Romeo Two go!" Mason laughed as he pointed towards the bar. Will peered on and gasped inaudibly as he watched Max and Brian hold hands and stare intently into each other's eyes before they made out passionately.

"Well, at least _someone_ is amused." Will glanced back at Mason.

Mason shrugged. "I'm happy for 'em. As long as they invite me to the wedding!" He threw his head back and laughed.

Suddenly the music on the large speakers changed.

**Waiting in a car **  
><strong>Waiting for a ride in the dark <strong>  
><strong>The night city grows <strong>  
><strong>Look and see her eyes<strong>, **they glow**

**Waiting in a car**  
><strong>Waiting for a ride in the dark...<strong>

M83's "Midnight City" blasted throughout the barn while the male students sitting on top of the haystacks at the front of the large barn changed the light shades to purple and green lights and shone them down onto the dance floor.

"Nurrrrrrgghh." Will looked up to see a group of students dressed wonderfully as zombies form a little line on the dance floor with their arms held out in front of them stiffly as they danced in perfect unison and rhythm. The rest of the crowd cheered on, raising their hands in the air and waving them around.

**Drinking in the lounge,**  
><strong>Following the neon signs...<strong>

"I bet you're wishing you took me up on that offer to dance!" Mason leaned over and whispered in Will's ear as the music turned up a bit due to the loud cheering and chanting from the dancing crowd.

"Don't do that, Mason!" Will moved away and rubbed his ear where Mason had whispered into it. A single touch from Mason was absolutely abhorred.

**Waiting for a roar, **  
><strong>Looking at the mutating skyline!<strong>  
><strong>The city is my church,<strong>  
><strong>It wraps me in the sparkling twilight!<strong>

Will wanted very much so to listen to the music and just enjoy himself Mason-free. But he knew that was not an option for the night.

"Why? Afraid you might enjoy it?" Mason giggled, pouting like a child, but moved back to his original spot away from Will.

"You flatter yourself." Will answered as he looked around the dancing crowd. Miriam had removed the goggles from her eyes and was still happily dancing with the Joker and Harley Quinn couple. Will wanted to join them, but Miriam appeared to be having a very good time, and he didn't want to risk dragging Mason over to her along with him and spoil her mood.

**Waiting in a car, **  
><strong>Waiting for the right time <strong>  
><strong>Waiting in a car, <strong>  
><strong>Waiting for the right time<strong>

Mason's eyes darkened ever so slightly as it appeared a plan of a most devious nature was forming in his mind.

"So tell me, Will. Are you still a virgin?" Mason's voice suddenly rose above the music that Will was desperately trying to get lost in.

Will whipped his head in Mason's direction. _"Excuse me?!"_ He couldn't have heard what he thought he just heard.

Mason sighed, running out of patience. He trained his cold blue eyes on Will's dark brown ones. "Have you had your cherry popped? Your innocence stripped away from you? Have you been penetrated to the point where you bled?"

He leaned in close to Will, his teeth bared. "Just how many hard cocks have you had stuffed up in that tight, greedy little hole of yours, while you begged for more?"

"I've had enough of this!" Will stood up and backed away, but bumped into a girl dressed as a French Maid. She yelped and the tray of snacks she was carrying toppled down onto Will.

"Shit!" He cried, but quickly bent down to help gather her items.

"It's ok." She said softly and finished stacking her items back on the tray and walked off embarrassingly.

Mason hadn't stood from the floor, and only watched Will with an eyebrow cocked in question.

"I gotta take a piss." Will announced, more to himself than to Mason.

Mason didn't say a word, but seemed to peer straight into Will with those unreadable blue eyes.

Will carefully grazed past the dancing zombies, past a few couples who sat behind some boards and haystacks, lazily making out and chatting, trying to look for the washrooms.

He finally found the washrooms located near the front of the barn where they had entered. The washrooms had little neon green signs that read: BOYS, GIRLS with little rotten zombie hands pointing towards the washroom doors.

Will walked into the washroom quickly, and headed for a sink. He opened the cold tap water handle and gathered the water into his cupped hands as he then splashed it onto his face and rubbed furiously. He had lied to Mason in hopes of getting some room and space to himself to breathe. He didn't need to actually use the washroom to relieve himself in the common sense; he needed to relieve himself mentally.

Will shut off the water and looked at himself in the mirror hoisted up above the little sink. In the reflection of the bathroom behind him, he saw the navy blue painted bathroom stalls open, showing that no one else was currently in the bathroom with him.

Will sighed and leaned back down slightly to open the hot tap water once again and wash his hands. He had been sweating so profusely when he was sitting next to Mason as he had never before. He gathered some soap while he soaked a hand and washed carefully, trying to scrub every bit of Mason off his hands.

Will wanted to head home and bathe in the hottest temperature of water in the world so he could burn off every bit of Mason from his body. He felt so dirty and ashamed of himself for even allowing Mason to buy him lunch, let alone drive him to the party.

Will scrubbed and scrubbed for minutes on end until his hands turned pink. When he had had enough, he turned off the water and shook his hands free of the rest of the water drops. Outside the washroom the booming sound of the songs on the speakers blasted on. Will could barely hear anything or anyone else outside the bathroom.

He heard the faint dripping of leaking water from another adjacent sink nearby, and closed his eyes as he felt a headache coming on. He rubbed his forehead and temples slowly and gently for a while, trying to ignore the dripping of the water.

Tap, tap, tap...

Will wanted so desperately to go home and curl up in his bed under his sheets. Why had he come to the party to begin with?

Tap, tap, tap...

Maybe he could go and ask Max to drop him off at home? Will knew the idea sounded silly even in the back of his mind, but he wanted to leave the party and Mason. He was not in the mood for any more games and festivities.

Tap, tap, tap...

Will opened his eyes and felt furious at the damn dripping water. He stood straight and turned around to shut the tap completely off, when he was face-to-face with Mason, who had been standing directly behind him.

"Hola." Mason whispered and leapt forward with his entire body into Will.

"Nooo!" Will cried, as his back and shoulders slammed against the sink violently, while Mason held onto his neck roughly with one gloved hand.

"Shhhhhhh, I won't hurt you." Mason cooed gently, his thumb rubbing up and down the soft, warm skin of Will's neck almost in a mock loving manner.

"Let me go!" Will cried, ignoring Mason's coos and vocal noises to get him to calm down.

Will pushed against Mason, trying to writhe free, but that only earned him a rough squeeze on his neck from Mason's grip.

Will coughed and sputtered as he felt that damn gloved hand tightening its grip on his neck.

"It'll be so much easier if you try to enjoy it, Will, trust me." Mason calmly spoke as he dropped to his knees and nosed Will's crotch.

"Rape!" Will cried, but as soon as he did, a few of Mason's fingers forced their way past Will's lips and into his mouth roughly, nearly gagging him in the process.

"Shhhh...just close your eyes and relax, Will." Mason instructed as he rubbed his face into Will's crotch, his own eyes closed in enjoyment and passion.

_"Oh dear God, I'm done for! I'm dead! He's going to rape me and kill me!"_ Will began to panic, his breathing becoming labored due to Mason's gloved fingers choking him.

Will felt Mason's teeth at the zipper of his jeans suddenly. He looked down in fear and panic, and saw Mason grip the zipper in between his white teeth, and tug the zipper down slowly with a sly grin on his evil face.

Will began to cry out, and he tried to kick Mason away, but as soon as he had moved his head in fright, Mason's fingers inched their way further down his throat, making him cough and wheeze violently.

"MMMNN!" He cried out, tears falling down out of the corners of his eyes.

Mason stood suddenly, and nuzzled into Will's neck. "Do try and behave, Will. I promise I won't bite...hard." Mason looked at Will's wet, tear-stained cheeks, and leaned forward.

Will closed his eyes when he felt a hot, wet tongue running down from the corner of his eyes down to his chin, scooping up the wet, salty tears in the process.

"Mmmm." Mason smacked his lips and grinned at Will, then bit his lip seductively.

"Your tears taste so good, Will. So pure, so innocent...just like a child...I don't know if anyone ever complimented you on that." Mason added before he dropped down to his knees again, and continued tugging down the zipper of the jeans.

_"Just rape and kill me and get it all over with, you sick piece of shit!"_ Will tried to stop sobbing, as the act itself seemed to be turning Mason on even more.

After a few moments of not moving, Will felt his eyes drying up, so he closed them and tried to pretend that he was anywhere except the dirty, darkly lit bathroom in the barn. He wished he was back at home with his dog family and Bedelia, laughing happily and hugging Bedelia as tightly as possible. He wished he hadn't taken so many people and things in his life for granted when he heard Mason moan as he slid a hand inside Will's pants.

Will remembered the day he had gone to the park looking for Easter eggs with Bedelia and the dogs, and he pictured himself now, running through blades of tall, thick grass, while the warm summer sun blazed down upon him.

He heard the music outside finish, and a new song began as the crowd outside cheered. Will felt Mason's hand grip him tightly, and he closed his eyes, trying not to focus on the pain searing through his body. He shivered in disgust when Mason tugged at his boxers roughly, grunting softly as he tried to pull them out of the way.

_"Please don't!"_

Will felt Mason's tongue glide over the fabric of the boxers, and he turned his head away from Mason's eyes as they glimmered in the dark bathroom up at him while his mouth was still at Will's crotch.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened abruptly. Mason and Will both froze, and looked back at the entrance of the bathroom.

Will felt as if that night his entire world had come crumbling apart. Hannibal Lecter stood in the doorway of the bathroom, his long autumn jacket half unbuttoned, staring at Mason and Will against the bathroom sink with hard, unreadable eyes.

Will suddenly gathered inhuman strength and pried his body away from Mason. He stumbled around the other boy, reaching for Hannibal.

"Hannibal!" He began, but Hannibal turned and left the bathroom quickly without a word.

"No! Hannibal! It's not what you think-" Will cried out as he followed as quickly as he could, despite his shaking, pained body.

"I understand, Will. You don't need to explain. I'll leave you to your planned escapades. Sorry to have disturbed you." Hannibal didn't even look at Will as he made his way through the dancing crowd, which had grown much larger since Will had entered the barn.

Will followed Hannibal out to the parking lot desperately. "Hannibal, please listen to me! Mason-"

"Leave me!" Hannibal practically roared in a thunderous voice when Will grabbed the back of his coat.

Will stopped following Hannibal, his eyes burning with tears once again.

Hannibal stopped once he opened his car door, and looked back at Will with hurt eyes before he sat inside the car and turned on the engine. He drove off slowly, as if wanting to still stay behind to talk to Will.

Will zipped up his jeans and wiped his burning, teary eyes quickly, shivering in the cold, dark parking lot. He headed back inside the barn, and paused when he saw Mason leaning against the bathroom door.

"That was fun. I want so much to taste your tears once again, Will." Mason said and winked at Will.

He slowly raised an index finger to his lips and pursed them. "Shhhh. It is our little secret." He said with a biting, vicious tone, before turning away and cackling maniacally as he went back inside the bathroom.

Will said and did nothing in response, but walked back to the spot on the floor near the haystacks and sat down, slumping over and covering his head with his hands as he rocked back and forth on his knees and sobbed quietly into the night.

The music blasted on, and no one noticed the shattered boy as he tried to comfort himself amidst the celebration of the season.

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FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU MASON! *Throws a bomb at him*  
>I apologize for stirring up so many heated emotions in the readers even before this point, but I felt it was necessary to add tension to my story! Please don't be mad at me! :-(<br>My poor Will! *Gives him a hug* :'-(


	7. Darkest Before the Dawn

Oh my god, guys I am so sorry first of all for not updating sooner! I just had to catch up with many readings for my classes, and I am having a small family problem as well as problems just being alone while every single one of my friends is either engaged or in a relationship, so being the third wheel is getting to me a lot, lately!

Hope you guys have all been well and rested a lot, and please take good care of yourselves as the colder weather draws in *If you're in America, anyway :P )

Avixi

**Chapter 6**

**WARNING: MENTIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF PAST CHILD ABUSE/RAPE! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!**

"Margot, I'm home!" Mason sang in a demented, sing-song childish voice as soon as he unlocked the front door of their large mansion. No one was home, it appeared, for Mason knew his father often worked late into the early mornings as per usual, and his mother out at the salon and later off to the movies. But when Mason walked a little forward into the hall, he saw a pair of dark green sneakers casually resting near a badminton racket, and snickered. His sister was home.

Mason made sure to slam the front door extra hard and he threw his belongings violently onto the floor and made sure they echoed throughout the semi empty house.

Upstairs on the third floor of the mansion, a young Margot Verger sat up in her four-poster bed, and quickly began to panic. She bolted through her room and locked herself quickly in the large adjoining bathroom. She pressed a small ear to the bathroom door and held her breath as she heard Mason calmly walking up the stairs as he whistled a merry tune.

Mason calmly opened the door to Margot's bedroom and gazed about the large, decorated bedroom. The walls were colored a light purple color, with posters of Hermione Granger, a few of Margot's own drawings of the Powder-Puff Girls, a few horses, fashion models, and Amy Lee hung on the walls. The large four-poster bed was plain white, a night table on either side of the bed with picture frames of Margot with a few of her school girl friends in silly poses; ones consisting of a cheer-leading squad and Margot at the front and center holding the pink pompoms to either side her face and sticking her face right in between them with her tongue sticking out, another close to the right side of her bed resting on a nightstand was with her and another girl and they had the classic duck lips and the "peace sign" pose, and there was one last picture mounted high on the opposite wall that faced the bed.

The picture frame itself covered the entire wall, practically, and was a long rectangular shape with old mahogany wood decorated about the entire picture as it held it up for all to see. The picture was a hand painted portrait of Mason and Margot sitting in a love-seat in the large front hall of the mansion. Mason had his right hand draped over Margot's shoulders, and she faced forward with an odd half-smile presented across her young features. Both Verger siblings were not even over ten years old when the painter had arrived to instruct them how to sit, how still to sit, and for how long to sit next to each other while he painted their seemingly happy pose and pictures.

"Margot!" Mason sung out as he took off his glasses and wiped them with his shirt sleeve as he peered at the bathroom door. He knew she was on the other side of it, and he skipped across the carpeted bedroom floor happily, as he swung his hands back and forth at his sides.

He stopped when he was right in front of the door and gasped mockingly. "Well! My dear, sweet Margot! What seems to be the matter today?"

He raised his hand and knocked a few times gently.

"Was it boys giving you trouble?"

There was no answer from the other side of the door; only silence.

Mason grinned and pressed his nose right against the cold hard surface of the door and giggled out loud. "Or was it the boys giving you trouble for wanting to play a little too much with the other girls? Making 'em jealous, Margot?"

Margot clamped a shaky hand over her mouth when she heard Mason's cruel words swipe at her as if they were transformed into a bear claw, ripping what was left of her dignity to shreds.

Margot had tried to hide her homosexuality from her family for years, for she knew her father especially would never abide by the fact that she was a lesbian. Margot had a very tumultuous relationship with her father to begin with; the man was a hard-headed businessman and he seemed to favour Mason over her simply and only due to the fact that he was a male. Margot knew her father was every bit the chauvinistic, fascist pig he acted out to be, and there was nothing anyone could say or do to change that; especially Margot herself.

Whatever she did never impressed her father. She had tried getting the best grades she could, but that only earned her a small nod and a "It's what you should be doing, given all the damn tuition money I pay to send you to that bloody University." She had tried being more athletic, working out and trying out for various sports teams, but that wasn't impressive for her father either in the slightest. If Margot's father knew of her sexual orientation, she'd be done for.

"Ooooh Marrrrgoooot!" Mason sang out again, licking a long stripe up from the middle of the door to the top and he laughed.

"You can't stay in there forever!"

Mason had unfortunately caught Margot once when she had invited a girl named Brittany Cutlers over to the mansion. Both girls had been in the ninth grade at the time, and Brittany had recently moved to the private school Mason and Margot attended. Margot immediately took a liking to the young girl, and she sought out her company in hopes of gaining a new friend. For weeks Margot had tried finding time for Brittany to come over, but when you lived with a domineering, dictating father and a perverted brother, that was definitely a difficult thing to walk around smoothly.

One evening, when their father Jacob Verger, had been out on a business trip, Margot decided to invite Brittany over for a late supper. Mason had been out doing heaven only knew what, and Margot decided to take a chance. Brittany had shown up a few minutes late, but she showed up nonetheless.

Margot invited the girl up to her room after dinner and some dessert, and a few movies lead to drinking and after a few drinks, Margot and Brittany somehow had found themselves trying to wrestle stuffed animals from each other; rolling around on Margot's bed and laughing happily. Margot had initiated the first move, and had barely begun kissing Brittany, when the girl kissed back as if it had been a second nature to her.

Heavy petting and groping soon began, but when Margot had worked on the first few top buttons of Brittany's dress shirt, that was exactly when Mason Verger had decided to blast open the bedroom door with a black Polaroid camera in his hands yelling: "Cheese!" and he snapped the photo for "evidence".

Ever since then, Mason had threatened Margot whenever he could and kept her on a leash, so to speak, by telling her he would show the photo to their father and get her thrown out of the house and "banished" from the family if she didn't do everything as he asked, whenever he asked. If she dared ever even think about disobeying him or deviating from his wishes, Mason would often bring out his camera around Margot and parade with the damn thing in his hands, waving his finger about in her face and singing : "Nuh uh uh!"

But the abuse had gone on for far long even before that...

Margot closed her eyes shut tightly when she saw the doorknob of the bathroom door shake and twist ever so slightly. She had locked the door, but then again, that had never stopped Mason in the past.

"Have you forgotten that I know your secret, Margot?" He whispered from the other side of the door.

Margot shook her head, some of her hair falling across her face and covering her eyes as her body began to shake and sweat profusely in fear and anger.

The doorknob shook a little more, making clicking noises that seemed to call out only to Margot, and Mason's angry grunts were heard from the other side as he fought to open the bathroom door.

"Maaaarrrgoooot!" He hissed in a demonic tone of voice, and without warning, slammed his hand open-palmed onto the bathroom door.

Margot screamed and retreated back a little, cowering beneath the sink in the left hand side of the large bathroom.

Mason sniffed at the bathroom door, as if he were a blood hound out for only Margot's fresh blood. He looked down at his feet and snickered. "Margot, do you remember all the fun we used to have as kids?"

Margot felt the tears begin to run down her cheeks as he spoke on.

"We used to have so much _fun_, you and I." His voice got more soft and quiet, but Margot could still hear him well enough.

_She was barely four years old._

_"Margot, Mason's going to look after you while your father and I go out to dinner with some of his colleagues from work. Do everything your brother asks you, and be good." Margot looked up at her mother and smiled as the beautiful Christina Verger held her young daughter tightly to her and kissed her on the top of the head. _

_She turned to Mason ad ruffled his hair. "Be good, son, and look after your sister." She sighed and then turned to look at her husband as he chatted over his cell phone and waved his hand in the air angrily at her. _

_"We're going to be late!" He glared at her and turned to the family butler who held open the door for him and he didn't even bother looking at his children and bidding them goodbye as he stormed out. _

_"Bye, angels." Their mother soon followed, leaving so swiftly, the smell of her perfume hung about the in the air for only a few brief moments before it too disappeared into the night..._

"Margot...", Mason tapped at the door with a dirty, yellow fingernail, "...be a dear and open the door for big brother, and I swear I won't make you cry...a lot..."

Margot held her head in her hands and wept harder, but still made no audible sound. She would not let him know he was getting to her! She was tired of him breaking her down! He wouldn't have that power anymore!

_"It's a game, Margot. Kids do it all the time." Mason walked around the chair that he had his little sister tied to with some of their father's rope he had used for tying up the horses in their stables, looking down at her while wearing a calm expression on his face. _

_Margot looked up at her brother innocently. "What kind of game?" _

_Mason shrugged. "Like doctor. The doctor gets to see if the patient is feeling well...everywhere..." With that said, he lifted up her little pink skirt..._

"You're only making this harder on yourself, Margot. Just open the door." Mason said through clenched teeth.

Margot shook her head and cried harder. Her vision was blurred due to the tears and stinging of her eyes as she cried like she never had before. She just wanted all this to stop; she just wanted to reach out and finally tell someone what had been going on all these years in the dark mansion that was the Verger Mansion. If anyone peered in, upon first glance they would think that the Verger's lived the perfect live; large house to themselves, excellent family business that was steadily growing, plenty of money, hard-working parents, and good kids. But if they only knew what went on at night, in the dark...

_Margot screamed as a thirteen year old Mason grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the horse stables in the middle of the night. He had dragged her from her bed while she was in a peaceful slumber, and dragged her all the way down the stairs and out the door towards the barnyards and stables and threw her inside roughly. _

_He held her face-down as she kicked and screamed. Her screams were muffled and hidden by a thick cloth that Mason had soon shoved forcefully into her mouth, and she later discovered it was her own torn underwear. _

_Mason grabbed a whip from one of the hooks mounted high on a wall, and began whipping and beating Margot with it savagely. She bit her tongue and screamed through her teeth, though she knew no one would hear her pained cries in the night and no one would come to her aid. She cried harder, feeling that she was truly alone, and she soon lost count as the whip cracked and cracked across her delicate skin, biting into it repeatedly as it rammed against her skin._

_She felt as if she were going to pass out, but Mason soon threw the whip aside. Margot said a quiet prayer in her head, and hoped he would let her go back to her room, though she was sure she was too weak to even get up. But Mason had other plans, and he lowered himself onto Margot's back._

_Only the horses in the stables that night witnessed Margot's tears falling into the dirty stable floor that she was thrown onto as Mason forced his way inside her body, violating and defiling her for the hundredth time that year..._

"I just want to show you how much I care for you, Margot...I want to love you..." Mason pleaded from the other side of the door, though his tapping hadn't stopped.

"Go away!" Margot cried out loud, finally finding her voice and her strength. She wasn't going to let this monster win! She couldn't let him win anymore!

Mason threw his head back and laughed. "Poor little Margot! You talk as if you actually have some power, here. How disillusioned, you are, my dear Margot...I'll need to teach you a lesson, I think."

_A hand covered fourteen year old Margot Verger's mouth and pulled her into a stairwell on the third floor of the house when she had walked past with her cell phone in her hands, trying to get a hold of one of her friends named Tasha. _

_Mason slammed her up against a wall and pressed a finger to his lips. "Shhh!" _

_Margot nodded, eyes wide with fear. _

_Mason grabbed her phone and looked at it for a few seconds before grinning back at her. _

_"That your girlfriend, Margot?" He asked as he threw the phone into his jean pocket. _

_Margot shook her head "No". _

_Mason's happy facial expression suddenly grew dark. "Oh you're a liar, Margot...you're a dirty fucking whore liar."_ _Each word said bit off a piece of her already still heart._

_She shook her head once again, her tears making her eyeliner and mascara run down her cheeks in a dark sludge. _

_"Why, you're even dressed and dolled up just like a whore..." He looked at her make-up and snickered._

_Mason grabbed the back of Margot's neck and pulled her close to his vile lips as he whispered in her ear. "I'm going to show you what I do to liars!" _

_He grabbed her by the hair and shoved her down to her knees. Margot felt the pain searing through her kneecaps and throughout her legs as she came into contact with the dark, hard wooden floor of the closet, but she didn't have time to resonate the pain. _

_Mason began unzipping his jeans with one hand hurriedly as he looked down at her with predatory, soul-less eyes, laughing gently, his white teeth gleaming in the moonlight that shone through the windows of the mansion. _

_"So you like pussy, huh Margot? Well I'm going to help you with that." _

_He pulled down his boxers and pulled out his hard length out from them, the head already red from sick excitement. Mason looked down at Margot and with one hand touched her tears as they ran down her cheek, and started stroking his throbbing length. It was as if her crying and tears turned him on._

_Margot tried pushing back away, and tried running free, but he slapped her across the face violently. She cried out loud, but bit down on her tongue before she could allow more noises to escape her and receive more harsh beatings. _

_"I'm going to show you what you get for liking to eat pussy, Margot," he panted and moved his hips close to her face, "...you're so lucky that I want to help you and allow you to have the experience of what a real man tastes like, Margot. I'm going to let you engage in quite the learning experience." He inched even closer with his hips, holding his cock right below her nose and rubbed it across her lips slowly. _

_"You get to taste cock tonight, Margot." _

_With that, he grabbed her hair, causing her to gasp out in pain. But once she had opened her mouth, he forced his throbbing cock past her lips and fully into her mouth. _

_Margot clamped her eyes shut tightly, trying to drown out his disgusting moan as soon as he had entered her mouth. _

_"You're going to put that lying mouth to better use, Margot." He groaned and began fucking her mouth in a rough, quick rhythm. _

Mason began kicking violently at the locked bathroom door with his right leg. Margot screamed and covered her ears with both hands as she got up and ran to the farthest corner in the bathroom and cowered in the corner of the wall, crying and wishing with all her might that there was a window in the room so she could throw herself out of it and run with all her life as far away from this hellish place as quickly as possible and never look back.

He kicked harder and harder as he cackled loudly. Each time his feet made contact with the wood of the door, Margot felt as if a nail had been hammered deeper and deeper into her coffin. She wished she truly had been buried ten feet underground so she would never see the light of day again if it meant she'd have t see it with this vile demon.

Mason had kicked in one hinge of the bathroom door, and the door swung down slightly to reveal a bit of the bathroom.

"Nooooooo!" Margot cried once she saw the light from the other side of the room pouring into the bathroom. She didn't move from her spot, but closed her eyes and covered her head with both hands and she panicked and tried to imagine she was far, far away from this place.

She heard through her muffled ears as Mason kept on kicking the door, and another hinge burst forth and landed a few feet away from her. She wished she could turn it into a knife, and plunge the sharp, shiny blade deep into her brother's throat. She would bathe in his blood for days on end. She didn't mind, despite the fact that he was the man who had ruined her entire life, and taken everything that she held dearest to her heart away from her in a second.

She wanted to take his life, and wanted to make sure he suffered just as much as he had forced her to suffer. She would do everything to rue the day that Mason Verger would become as helpless and powerless as she had been to stop the torments and violations.

The door finally blast open and it crumpled down onto the cold bathroom floor. Mason stood on top of it as he shook his clothes of some debris and wood as he faced Margot as she shook in the corner of the bathroom as far away from him as she could have retreated.

He shook his head. "Oh my dear, sweet Margot. You should have opened the door when I asked the first time, Margot."

He strode over to her in a few steps, and looked down at her for minutes.

Margot felt the silence settle around her. It was as if someone had turned off the world. It felt as if the entire planet had suddenly stopped spinning, and a dark cloud had ascended upon the earth, enveloping it entirely by its darkness. She felt as if an apocalypse was upon her, drowning her in a sea of darkness and finally suffocating the life from her worn down body.

She looked up at Mason and felt a fresh set of tears gather in her burning, light colored eyes.

Mason rolled up his shirt sleeves slowly, one-by-one as if he were a surgeon preparing for surgery any time soon.

"What I'm going to do to you, Margot, will make the children at the summer camp weep."

She didn't even close her eyes this time.

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Why do I write these things? I am so sorry, everyone :-( And I apologize for this chapter being shorter than most of the ones I posted in the past are, I just CAN'T write about child molestation, rape, and abuse for a long period of time (not that I am saying most can). I just can't, and I hope this was 'enough' for Mason's, ummm, douche-bag-ness... Sorry Michael Pitt, I like you, dude, but your character is a perv.


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